Many famous Republicans would be RINOs today

Many can make a long list of Republicans who would not be welcome in today's Republican Party. Because these Republicans of another era didn't fall in lockstep with a laundry list of "conservative" positions, they would be called RINOs – Republicans in name only. Among them would be Abraham Lincoln and Dwight Eisenhower.

Here's a surprising Republican who definitely would not be welcome in today's Republican Party. He said "Loyalty to petrified opinion never yet broke a chain or freed a human soul." This person was a personal secretary to Sen. William Morris Stewart, Republican, Nevada, a friend of former Republican President Ulysses S. Grant, and a supporter of James A. Garfield in the 1880 election. A forged letter was circulated that Garfield was in favor of Chinese immigration, something very unpopular at the time. You can see more about it in http://www.twainquotes.com/BillBarnum.html. This same article has a speech in which our surprising Republican praises the Republican Party and skewers the Democratic Party.

Who is this RINO who would be very disappointed in today's Republican Party? Mark Twain!!

Astute analysis or lucky guess?

As the fiasco of the fired District Attorney unfolds and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales comes under increasing criticism from Republican Senators, I wonder if I was making a good prediction in my April Fool's column for the Reader Weekly, "Tomorrow's news you can use today" or just a lucky guess.

I started with the premise that Gonzales would resign rather than face a lot of questioning from the Senate or possible impeachment from the House. From there, the President's house of cards would collapse, leading to a surprise replacement for Bush.

I will say that the fruits of giving more allegiance to party than to the Constitution are starting to ripen.