Is The Presidential Election Close? Very Close According to Latest (and Last) Survey Before the Election

We have occasionally asked readers for their opinions on the presidential election. Our reader preference generally follows national trends. Readers expressed a preference as the nominee for each party earlier this year. As the campaign progressed, each candidate has come out on top at different times. Here are the results of our last survey before the presidential election of 2008.

“Flirtatious” Behavior and a Last Chance Agreement Lead to Removal

An employee of the Dept. of Veterans Affairs signed a “last chance” agreement and waived his appeal rights in order to be reinstated as a federal employee with the agency after having been charged with using government computers for sending “obscene material.” The agency invoked the agreement several months later and fired him and another federal employee case headed to the courts.

Whoops

A couple of readers pointed out that in the initial posting of a column last week, we made an incorrect statement about the content of an article in the Washington Post. They were right.

Politics and Journalism in Washington: Celebrating the Departure of a Political Appointee

For those who make a career of living and working within the federal establishment, the view of people and their accomplishments can become one-dimensional with clear delineations between what is good and what is bad. Special Counsel Scott Bloch is departing. Many in the government community are applauding and the media is happily joining in.