The polarized politics aside, I think the appearance of a pipe rack in media is a good thing. He's not blowing smoke in the camera. He's not sitting there puffing in silence like too many of the youTube instructors. Just knowing that someone has a pipe in their life is a good thing. For those who don't cotton to his commentary, I guess any publicity (within reason) is better than none. Now Walter Cronkite and Albert Einstein ... those were the days. Joseph Stalin, not so good. General MacArthur is negotiable, but he didn't treat the WWI vets so well, and his mom came with him to West Point where she maintained an apartment in town where he could visit in the style to which he was accustomed -- but he sure could strike a figure. George Patton he wasn't. My mom's cousin died fighting with George as part of a tank crew.