Letters to the Editor
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Published Letters: 151 Editor's Choice: 4
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What went right
[Read the article: What did Clinton do wrong?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I am hoping that Karen Tumulty does a parallel piece to this excellent article on the Clinton campaign's many blunders. I want a succinct analysis on what Obama did right. I think I would include the following:
1) identifying early the mood of the nation and sticking with the basic theme of his campaign despite pressure to shift; 2) enlisting a wide network of grassroots supporters and offering them basic training in community organizing that paid off in all 50 states; 3)running an extremely tight ship financially; 4)recruiting a top-notch group of staffers whose smarts and savvy paid off far beyond their salaries; 5) listening to his own inner voice and translating that into some of the most stirring speeches ever delivered in modern-day politics; 6)adhering to his conviction that dirty politics was out of style and ineffective; 7) speaking to the American people as adults capable of serious discourse on the touchiest subjects in our shared history; 8) having the emotional stamina and tempermental balance to withstand a typhoon of media-driven assaults against his character and patriotism; 9) having the graceful sense of humor to bowl gutterballs and laugh at himself, and 10) having the guts to refuse to embrace foolish or dangerous policy positions in order to pander to the uninformed views of potential voters.
In other words, I don't think that Sen. Clinton lost so much as Sen. Obama won. Now let's unleash him on McCain and get this nation turned in the right direction again.
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Please Mr. Postman
[Read the article: Clinton writes to Obama]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I hope that Sen. Obama refuses to answer this ridiculous and insulting letter from Sen. Clinton. Her facts are wrong (she did agree to the rules governing the scheduling of the primaries), her logic is loopy and self-serving (she wants to punish Obama for the fact that Michigan Dems broke the rules).
Obama should ignore this silly missive and turn his full attention to blasting John McCain. And the remaining uncommitted super delegates need to listen to David Bonior of Michigan, unglue themselves from that fence, and call a halt to this madness.
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House finale?
[Read the article: TV Daily]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Why didn't you mention the first hour of the two-part season finale of "House" this evening at 9:00 p.m.? Amnesia, stripper fantasies, medical conundrums, Fred Durst: it sounds like a doozy of a ride inside the misanthropic doc's woozy head.
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Local race, national import
[Read the article: Republicans worried after Mississippi defeat ]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]This contest in Mississippi was far more important in its national implications than the primary vote in West Virginia Tuesday. By sliming the Democratic candidate with association with Sen. Obama, the Miss. GOP thought they had a sure-fire way to retain this seat. They hoped that Obama was sufficiently anathema to the "hard working" white voters of Mississippi that the mere mention of his name linked with the Dem candidate would guarantee a Repub victory. They even sent in VP Cheney to seal the deal.
Instead the GOP smear tactics backfired magnificently. A coalition of aroused black voters and wised-up white Democrats handed the Republicans a sound defeat. The message is clear: attacks on Barack Obama will inspire Democratic voters and depress the GOP vote, even in the Old South. This looks good for the fall campaign.
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Good news
[Read the article: Edwards endorsing Obama]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]On top of the stunning victory of the Dem candidate in Mississippi yesterday, the Edwards endorsement makes this another winning streak for Obama. On the other hand,Sen. Clinton's victory in WVA was predictable, the exit polls indicating the bigotry driving her supporters were discouraging, and her speech sort of tired. The Edwards news is the spark the Dems need this week. I am predicting that Gore comes out for Obama next Tuesday when the majority of delegates are sewn up.
The movement toward Democratic success in the general election is calm, inexorable, honorable, and thrilling. Like the candidate himself.
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Shame
[Read the article: Bush seems to attack Obama]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I was going to say that Bush should be ashamed of himself, but then I realized that the word and the emotion has no meaning for someone who has pledged to give up golf in solidarity with the American sons and daughters who are being slaughtered in Iraq.
Bush needs to go. Obama's response was measured, strong, balanced and intelligent. This is yet further proof of why we need to get the GOP out and Obama into the White House in November. If we can hold on that long.
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Find a new name
[Read the article: John McCain's lobbyist problem]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]When are journalists going to stop using the phrase Straight Talk Express to refer to McCain's campaign bus? Unless they put quotes around the name to emphasize the irony, I hope they drop it all together.
Journalists need to stop coddling McCain, whose extensive lobbyist ties, his dissembling about his wife's multimillion dollar fortune, his documented enthusiasm for talks with Hamas, and his unconscionable antipathy to the new G.I. Bill confirm that he is anything but a straight talker.
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Huh?
[Read the article: White House denies Iran story]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Is Dana Perino saying that the Jerusalem Post is not worth the paper it is printed on? I find this scary report out of Israel to be fairly credible given the prior actions of this blighted administration.
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Numbers game
[Read the article: Clinton raised $22 million in April ]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Sen. Obama raised over 31 million dollars last month. Among his donors, more than 200,000 were first-time contributors, most of whom gave less than 100 dollars. This is a truly remarkable expression of support from the bottom up and signals that Obama has rendered a genuine sea-change in American political history.
Now its time for the Democratic party to unite under Obama's leadership and get about the critical business of defeating John McCain in November.
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Roll on, Obama
[Read the article: A split Democratic decision]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Sen. Obama's stirring speech in Iowa last night signalled the start of this historic general campaign. He generously thanked his Democratic primary opponent and then pivoted to offer an expansive and compelling vision of a new American century.
McCain and the GOP represent the old and dangerous constraints of fear, retreat, and division. Now it is time for Democrats to unite under Obama to defeat the Republicans and prevent a third Bush term. Any conversation that isn't directed toward this overarching goal is irrelevant and wasteful.