Can you believe there is only a little more than a month left in 2009? Can you believe it's less than four weeks until Christmas? Can you believe so many people get upset about politics? OK, that last question was silly and rhetorical, a shot at a smooth literary transition.

There's a good reason we were all told never to discuss politics or religion (or bicycling) at cocktail parties. Too volatile for polite company.

But unless someone simply forgot to hand me my Maker's Mark with a splash of soda, then this ain't no party, this ain't no disco and this ain't no foolin' around.

So before we return next week to more important issues — like why a commercial for erectile dysfunction has two people on a beach, in separate bathtubs — let's hear from more readers who took offense that I chided the Nobel Prize Committee for giving the peace prize to President Barack Obama:

Dear Life Sherpa — You sure do love to slam President Obama. I don't remember any column where you had anything bad to say about Bush, at least nothing close to the anger shown to Obama. Could you give me some examples?

— Riled Ryan



Dear Life Sherpa — Obama was surprised, as were we all. Yes, he hasn't done anything to deserve it, but if there is criticism to be given, it would be more sensible to criticize the Nobel Prize committee. To criticize Obama for their actions gives a very strong appearance that you are looking for a reason to criticize him. Is this true?

— The Other Dubya



Dear Life Sherpa — I once enjoyed your space in the paper, that is until you decided to publicly criticize the president. To me that was uncalled for and not in keeping with the purpose of your job.

— Miffed Mary



Dear Y'all — Consider this a two-part response. First, let me address the specific issues:

As far as criticizing Bush, keep in mind that by the time this column started, "Dubya" was a lame duck and the political issue occupying the news was Obama vs. McCain. In July 2008, I did refer to the failed Bush presidency by saying "When gas is $4 gallon, it doesn't take a genius to realize things are not running like a Swiss watch."

(And by the way, BUSH IS NO LONGER PRESIDENT.)

On the other side, I have only criticized Obama on two issues — for his stimulus package and for throwing his own grandmother under the bus when talking about racial attitudes.

Overall, I think Obama has done a decent job, in that he hasn't done anything terribly wrong.

But I do look for reasons to slam Obama, or any other politician. Politicians work for us. When they screw up, we're supposed to slam them. It's as much "the purpose of our job" as anything. That's how the system works, or at least how it's supposed to work.

My Nobel comments were indeed directed at the committee — because they gave the award to someone who hadn't done anything to deserve it. Was I supposed to write that without using Obama's name? Should I have said the committee is a joke because it gave a prestigious award to "an unnamed leader of a huge English-speaking democracy who's only been in office a week or two"? That's just silly.

The second part of my response is more general and directed at those who get their noses out of joint anytime anyone criticizes Obama:

So what if Obama takes some heat? Welcome to the kitchen; no whining allowed.