Joan:

In your blog entry and video extolling the virtues of the so-called "Great Voter Turnout," you managed to exclude the one truly salient fact on the subject: The actual percentage of voters who turned out.

Your blog entry was written on Thursday, so I'm sure the figures were available. Some context would've been nice too. (80% of voters turning out for the recent presidential election in France, for instance.)

Instead, we're treated only to your conclusion: "Voter Turnout Is Great!" We're not stupid, so if you report the facts (and provide a little context), who knows? We might even be able to reach the same conclusion all by ourselves.

beautifulsenorita, did you see me on Hardball and are you critiquing that, or just reacting to over50's comments? I'm genuinely curious. I don't think I've rolled over for Hillary critics on TV, but if others think I have, I'm interested in that.

1. Get rid of Anonymous postings.

2. Immediately delete thread hijacks.

Joan, I'm a fan of yours, but what Over 50 writes is right. When you go on TV to face all those men at a time when a woman is running for president, you have to speak up. Whatever your feelings towards Hillary are, you can't just sit there as a woman and let those guys roll over her.

I feel that most punderettes want to play "I'm-one-of-the-guys" and don't really bring any female point of view to the discussion (Donna Brazille is an exception.)

Example: pundits are still wondering what happened Tuesday in NH. It was the older women, stupid! And it was not Hillary's emotional moment (please stop saying 'crying' and 'tears', there was none of that) It was the Boston Herald front page: "SHE'S SO YESTERDAY." It was the "wax museum" remark. It was the "Iron my shirt" incident. We was dissed!

Hell hath no fury like a woman made to feel old and useless.

Joan;

Your comment tonite on Hardball on the deepness of Clinton strength in California counselled me. As an Easterner, it always struck me that change like the weather came from the Pacific. This time you imply that we should not confuse a newer version of the recent past for fundamental change when we consider the dynamics of a westerly wind.

Bill

Joan, I just saw you on Hardball. Now after Chris Matthews slimed Hillary by saying the only reason she is in politics is because Bill cheated on her (as if she wouldn't have been better off had he never been impeached???) it's hard to imagine how you could sit on his show without challenging that.

But the real reason I'm writing is to beg you please, please tell salon readers why you are going along with the notion that the Democratic party nomination is a two person race. Why why why??

Did you ever hear of John Edwards???

ps. anonymously published letters just mean it's a pain in the neck to remember one's moniker. Anyone can make up any name so why should it matter if it's anonymous?

Joan,

I am a longtime Salon reader and for several years a premium subscriber, and I am concerned about some extreme trends lately at Salon.

Most pressingly, I am referring to Rebecca Traister's infamous Edwards/orc post at http://www.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/2008/01/07/john_edwards/

Reader reaction was overwhelmingly and rightfully indignant, outraged, and profuse. An inflammatory, over-the-top ad hominem attack post was on Salon's front page, with a picture of Edwards next to an orc. Right before the New Hampshire primary, and over a comment made by Edwards that was at worst ill-considered, and in the eyes of many readers, including many feminist Broadsheet women, perfectly legitimate.

Yet there has been no response from Salon or Traister. The post remains unedited on the front of Broadsheet. Traister continues to write front-page articles.

I am not arguing that Salon should practice "censorship" or only allow particular viewpoints--on the contrary I am merely asking that Salon engage in responsible journalism and editing, and to keep discourse from its paid staff within the bounds of legitimate commentary.

By paying for and publishing this kind of content, Salon is engaging in the very worst kind of rhetoric and suppressive attacks that are criticized in right-wing media outlets like Fox. Salon's silence and inaction in this matter cannot be ignored.

Sincerely,

A concerned reader

Get rid of the anonymous option, or severely limit it.

Have you considered working with Project Readon (http://www.projectreadon.com/) to caption Salon's videos?

I believe they do it for free, although, I could be mistaken.

The way to get the young, minorities and women to the polls is to have legitimate young, vibrant minority and women candidates, not just old, tired white male cardboard cut-outs. Or maybe that's too obvious.

While I'm thrilled at the great voter turnout (esp. among Democrats and Independents), I can't help but continue to be afraid of the Diebold voting machines, and the GOP's cynical drives to combat "voter fraud" (which is any non-GOP vote cast in an election, it seems like, judging from their approach to the "issue"). The only "fix" for great voter turnout, from the GOP's perspective, would be faulty voting machines, voter suppression drives, voter ID laws, and anything else to combat enfranchisement and suffrage. If you can't beat the other side's turnout (and no way will the GOP be able to do it, judging from their lesser numbers in their primaries), then the only way to "win" is to sabotage elections, one way or another. It's not even conspiracy-theorizing; it's what they've done, and what they'll continue to do.

The Diebold voting machines are a little menacing, because it's hard to argue with a machine -- the GOP would probably characterize that as "voter fraud." Even things like undercounts and overcounts or "we don't know how you voted" could sabotage an election.

Seems like there was a big drive for an airline traveler's bill of rights awhile back, but what we really need (pathetically enough) is a voter's bill of rights that guarantees a uniform ballot standard and procedure across the country, paper receipts for votes cast (I mean, we have it with things we buy -- it's at least as important for a vote cast) and universal access to the polls for American citizens, and to make Election Day a national holiday. If we're all pro-democracy, that's the least we can do.

And we need such a thing BEFORE a big election, rather than having a host of problems derail a vital election and people just throw their hands in the air and say "Oopsie! Sorry, your vote doesn't count."