Letters: Apr. 18, 2005

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Columnist Joe Klein's "The Creative Stubbornness of Harry Reid" [March 28], on the Senate minority leader's success in blocking Republican-sponsored legislation, should have been called "The Sour-Grapes Obstructionism of Harry Reid." Why glorify Reid's antics when there is so much that needs to be accomplished in Washington?

DONALD NAGY -- Chino Valley, Ariz.

When the G.O.P crushed former minority leader Tom Daschle's bid for re-election to the Senate, Republicans thought they had broken the back of the Democratic resistance. But as Klein pointed out, the creatively stubborn Reid has marshaled his troops much as Robert E. Lee did and is winning on the battlegrounds of his choosing. It remains to be seen whether, like Lee, Reid will eventually fall or Americans will realize that control of all three branches of government by a single party leads to extremism.

DEL HINDLE -- High Ridge, Mo.

Classy and Controversial

Your story on the success of secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in reshaping diplomacy was right on the mark [March 28]. When President Bush appointed her, he knew that she would represent him and the U.S. with class, style and brilliance. I have been following her career over the years, and I must say our President couldn't possibly have made a better choice.

MICKY A. GUTIER -- Phoenix, Ariz.

I disagree with your fawning portrayal of the "dazzling" job Rice is doing. The greatest weakness of her predecessor, Colin Powell, was that he was a good soldier rather than a good Secretary. Rice's weakness is that she is a good Secretary--but in the interests of Bush rather than the American people.

ALAN MOEN -- Entiat, Wash.

Although I am a registered Democrat, I have always been very impressed with the way Rice has conducted herself. She is professional, knowledgeable and focused. That was true when she was Bush's National Security Adviser, and now she is demonstrating those same qualities as our Secretary of State. I may not always agree with the President on the issues, but he knows how to put the right person in the right position.

VIRGIL LEE PFAUTCH -- Concord, Calif.

Shifting the Blame

"The Eternal Optimist" reported that Senator John Kerry has been "blaming his political strategists for many of the mistakes his campaign made last year" [March 28]. That shows Kerry is incapable of leadership. Who selected the strategists, and who decided what to implement and what to ignore? One has to wonder what Kerry was doing when he should have been providing leadership for his campaign.

DON MONEFELDT -- Webster, N.Y.

Kerry cannot solely blame his strategists for his narrow defeat. Nor can he hope to win next time. The Democratic Party is not likely to give him a second chance if Hillary Clinton decides to run for President in 2008. Let him be Clinton's running mate.

OM JULKA -- Moreland Hills, Ohio

Taking Back Iraq