There's something about the name 'Pat,' it seems

My grandmother was born and raised in Downpatrick, the city in County Down where St. Patrick lies buried. I've always been fond of the name Patrick, and seen it as having an odd sort of family significance, even though I have no relatives or ancestors I know of who have borne it. But lately I've begun to sour on the name.

I am not an admirer of Pat Buchanan, whom I regard as an irresponsible extremist. I tend to place his public pronouncements as on a level with Pat Robertson's as to their reasonableness, with this difference: there are more people who take Pat Buchanan seriously- and that scares me.

I do not disagree with him that illegal immigration is bad. But so is this sort of silly rhetoric.

Sharing a party with paleoconservatives is something of an embarrassment at times.