For starters, I want to apologize to Jackie Hines.

I called Hines unexpectedly at her Arlington home last Monday evening, and I was not my usual affable self. In fact, I was perturbed. I took my frustrations out on her and I'm sorry.

What caused my sour demeanor? I was being inundated practically around the clock with e-mails from people mostly supportive of the health care reform bill that passed the U.S. House Nov. 7.

The following morning, the messages started. Because all of my business e-mails come to my personal BlackBerry, the device kept buzzing throughout the day and into the night as one person after another sent what I believed were form letters praising House Democrats in general, and U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen in particular, for passing the health care bill.

Each e-mail began with the sender's name, complete mailing address and telephone number. They all basically said the same thing, just in different ways.

The health care bill is great and Cohen is a swell guy for having the guts to vote for it.

By Monday night, I had had enough. So when Hines' message arrived at 9:17 p.m. - just as my beloved Pittsburgh Steelers were applying a whipping to the Denver Broncos - I decided to call her and find out, once and for all, what or who is behind this campaign to pester me night and day.

I expected double talk or no response at all. But I got surprising candor. Hines, like most of the other messengers, is an ardent supporter of President Barack Obama and sincerely wants Congress to pass health care legislation.

A registered nurse for 16 years, she often logs on to a pro- Obama Web site called Organizing for America. She and other e- mailers I talked to last week said they were prompted to send letters to their local newspapers expressing support for the bill and praise for their local U.S. representative who voted for passage.

The Organizing for America site gives supporters step-by-step instructions for sending the letter and includes some talking points for them to use. But the site stresses that the letter should contain the writer's personal story about why they support universal health care legislation.

Through the magic of the Organizing for America site, each letter directed to The Commercial Appeal ended up in my e-mail box. The missives continued throughout the week, but not all of them were supportive of Obama or the health care bill.

One e-mail sent Monday from William H. Wood of Germantown said, "The passing of the Obama healthcare bill is one of the worst things that could be done by the House of Representatives.