Stanley Ronell and I disagree on a lot of things. But one thing we are in complete agreement with is that the quote attributed to me in the Oct. 23 issue of the Port Washington News that "we are almost at war with China and Russia" is basically absurd.

That is because I never ever said that, believed that or thought that. The only thing I did say during the interview that was reported was that this (the Bush) Administration was a bunch of losers; that they will be known for losing New Orleans, that they are losing Greenland which is melting into the sea, that they even lost an entire planet (Pluto) and that they came close to losing China and Russia.

Certainly "losing" them has a completely different meaning than what I was misquoted as saying. Anyway, it's nice to hear from Stanley again.

Rep. Gary Ackerman