NEW YORK CITY - Quotes attributed to Leon Mosley in the New York Times have angered some New Yorkers.

The Republican National Convention delegate, Republican Party of Iowa acting chairman and Black Hawk County supervisor was quoted Monday in the Times as saying, "'I left God's country. They could use a bunch of people from Iowa to come here to show New Yorkers what life is all about, what being patriotic is all about, and what country is all about. I'm as confident about Bush being re-elected as I am that eggs are going to be in New York tomorrow morning."

Mosley said he was misquoted, and that his comments referred only to the demonstrators that accosted him and other members of the Iowa delegation while leaving a Broadway play Sunday night - not all New Yorkers.

"New Yorkers are awesome," Mosley said, particularly the police. "I'm talking about the protesters, and no, I don't like them. I don't mind the protesting, but when you're messing with women, fingering women, threatening women, I got problems."

Mosley's comments in the Times, provoked some instant reaction from some in the New York area who e-mailed the Courier.

"Thank you very much for sending to us from Iowa one of God's representatives who can tell us what life is really all about," wrote Bruce Fink of New York.

"I am from New York and am outraged by this comment," John Santoianni wrote. "How dare he smear an entire city this way. If this is the way all Iowans think then I fear for the future of this country. It is a typical Republican smear. If someone doesn't agree with them, that person is automatically ungodly and unpatriotic. ….

"What a polite guest he is," Santoianni added, offering "to buy him a one-way ticket back to Waterloo."

"Thank God he came," John Fulweiler of South Orange, N.J. wrote with tongue in cheek. "We, who lived through 9/11, who still face a very real threat of terror every single moment of every single day can only be grateful that this mullah of rectitude has finally arrived to tell us what patriotism is all about. Thanks, Mose, it's good to know the Iowa Republican Party has our back.

"I do appreciate that, while implicitly excluding New York from both God and country, Mosley at least allows that we will have eggs tomorrow morning. But then, he would know. He and his friends will be laying them at the Garden.".

Pat Kinney can be reached at (319) 291-1484 or Pat.Kinney@wcfcourier.com