Pubdate: Mon, 21 Aug 2000 Date: 08/21/2000 Source: Weekly Standard, The (US) Author: Robert Lewis Authors: Robert Lewis Matt Labash's incisive piece on the Shadow Convention was just about what one would expect from a jerk who left "bad weed and jug wine" behind in his college dorm. All those angry people upset because Vanilla Gore and Vanilla-Lite Bush don't seem to want to discuss anything but "Why Johnny Can Read in Dallas" and the most compassionate way of putting retarded folk down in the Lone Star State. Guess I see the point: Why should anyone as supercilious as Labash want the two major political parties to discuss anything of substance? He might have to familiarize himself with actual issues instead of strolling around making derisive yet delightfully wry comments. ROBERT LEWIS, Kansas City, MO