An e-mail I don't expect a response to:

Dear "Not for Attribution" low-level political operative:

Thanks for the personal note. Since you took the time, I'll share my thoughts with you.

To be honest, I'm not excited about the "not for attribution" aspect of stuff that comes around. Particularly when there aren't any links to the material.

It looks like you're on the down-low and sends me searching for stuff, if I'm interested enough to write about it.

And, since you've been reading my blog, you know that I don't always see things the way others do, conservatism notwithstanding.

Blogging takes a significant amount of time, and I don't get paid to do it. So adding time on top of that while making me feel like I'm sneaking someone's agenda to my four or five readers (Hi, Mom!) leaves me ambivalent, to say the least.

You could help me with that by pointing to sources when you send material and identifying yourself - which would most likely clear up the "attribution" part, since few bloggers are going to say they are posting on something because a political operative passed it along. Except for Karl Rove, that is. We all 'fess up to that.

As a journalist and a teacher - not just a blogger - I try to maintain standards of objectivity and credibility, along with consistency, on my blog. I don't mind discussing things passed on by a reader, but that's not our true relationship. Perhaps someone else should be forwarding the material.

So if you enjoy my blog, you will consider how to help me maintain it - one of my chief objectives is to provide resources and thoughtful material, regardless of the source of origin. With that in mind, I will not advance a relationship that's inappropriately exploitative. In general, I don't have a problem coming up with material.

Best,

tee bee

CP @ GMC.