Petrelis Files

Subj: Johnny Carson
Date: 1/31/2005 2:46:21 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: strum@nytimes.com
To: MPetrelis@aol.com
Sent from the Internet (Details)







Dear Mr. Petrelis:

Thank you for taking the trouble to write us about the Carson obituary, and
for your kind words. You're quite right about Jerry Brown's presidential
campaigns. As it happens, the original version of the obituary referred to
Brown as a former presidential aspirant and did not mention a year or
years. It appears, from backtracking in our computer system, that 1992 was
added by an editor on deadline. We'll offer a correction.

Your findings from the Federal Election Commission, while interesting, do
not warrant a correction in our view. The paragraph that discusses Carson's
penchant for guarding his political views refer in context to his penchant
for being an equal-opportunity comedian; i.e., political leaders of either
major party were targets. Unlike other entertainers--Bob Hope and Barbra
Streisand are but two of many who come to mind--Carson shied away from
making his personal politics part of this job.

Again, thank you for writing and for reading so closely.

regards,
Charles Strum
obituaries editor