Besides being the workhorses of a growing young nation, African slaves brought with them their music, art, culture, and food. All modern music can be traced back to roots in slavery and Africa: country, rock, jazz, and especially hip hop. The influences of African artistic expression and shared culture can easily be seen, but what is often looked over are the not so easily recognizable economic influences of African slaves.

Since President Clinton decided to challenge the right wing rhetoric on the Fox Network, an attempt has been made, by the same right wing, to paint Mr. Clinton as having "lost it" during the discussion.  If "lost it" means being confident and aggressive in your own defense (and that of Richard Clarke), then I guess they're right.  Anyone who has bothered to watch the exchange for themselves, instead of letting others define it for them, knows that he never "lost it", but was in total control of himself, and the interview.

Now Condoleezza Rice has countered Mr. Clinton's remarks by sharply disputing his claim that he "left a comprehensive anti-terror strategy" for the incoming Bush team during the presidential transition in 2001. "We were not left a comprehensive strategy to fight al Qaeda," she told the New York Post Editorial Board.