Take It Easy On Gilchrest

I write to beg the hard-hitting reporting and editing staff at the Annapolis Kapital to go easy on the embattled incumbent Congressman from District 1, Wayne Gilchrest. Liam Farrell's critical examination of the man and his wardrobe in Sunday's edition (5-27-07) made me, a hardcore Gilchrest opponent, wince with each menacing jab at the poor man such as this passage:

"Clad modestly in a baseball hat, short-sleeved button-down shirt and olive khakis, U.S. Rep. Wayne Gilchrest looked out on the crowd."

It was the schoolmarm in Gilchrest, I suspect, that kept Farrell's pen at bay, sparing his subject the embarrassment of mentioning that his shirt was blue, and his hat green. But later on in the rambling feature story, Farrell confronts Gilchrest, as Gilchrest no doubt confronted the ruthless VietCong with this brutal onslaught:

The congressman, dressed in a blue-button down shirt and a rumpled navy pinstripe suit, spoke in soft, even tones.

I can only pray that when Farrell turns his steely gaze upon state Senator Andy Harris, that it isn't over a scrumptious omelet lunch on fine white linen with silver and china service at Harry Browne's!

Mike Netherland
Severna Park, MD