Okay, everyone take a deep breath--- here is the story--I had completed this manuscript (For the Courage of Our FOunders) and sent it of to a few writer friends and family and they thought it was great--little loose but great--problem is I sent it to people who knew me and my issues with the GWOT so they were primed and kind. I sent it to Dick Couch's agent who said really interesting but the market is flooded. Same with Naval Institute. Keep in mind, this is very controversial stuff---basic premise is that there is no strategic imperative to fight the GWOT (not whether we should or shouldn't but in prioritizing the GWOT is not imperative), that many of our actions have been driven by national fear not strategic thought...our founder would be embarrassed and that the ese conrtibuting factors have the potential for seriously and negatively impacting our grandchildren's world.
Okay, so sittig with DW watching Opra and the Harpo Hookup is mentioned. So, Ally writes a very good email, thinks I, to the Harpo hook up saying that she is so proud of her "warrior" husband for writing this book that espouses multiple views and strategy not just fear and destruction, and that with a few days with a good editor it could really be an important piece of work for the nation --of the magnitude of Paine's "Common Sense"
Letter gets sent and that was the end of that. So, it could be that it was too long and never made it to Harpo. It could be that it was not read, it could be that it was given serious consideration...I am not at all critizing Oprah or Harpo.. but for what ever reason it did not get picked up. I was then in the throws of retiring and the whole project was place snugly on the back burner.
Until "going to Oprah" is brought up on this BB and I am told S-e-r-i-o-u-s-l-y. So, I tell an inadequate story--as in not the full--that I already tried that. and then, because I have just got done tearing up a deck after a day of work and I've had half a martini and I am not thinking, I type "I think Oprah needs a stern talking to from the BB"----log off, draw a bath and settle in for a soak and the second half of the martini---low and behold, i wake an see that an insurrection has begun--and I apparently launched it! Now, since I believe that Oprah is more powerful than the CIA (not saying that much)and I really do think that she is a truly great person, I have to mea culpa on my role in this whole event...