Podhoretz’s Attack On Springsteen’

Norman Podhoretz attacking Bruce Springsteen (Editorial Pages, Aug. 29) is like a coyote yapping at an American elk.

But Podhoretz does remind us that his hero, Ronald Reagan, has politically hailed Springsteen’s songs as bringing “a message of hope” for the American future. I say Reagan accidentally spoke the truth.

The message of hope is:

1--That Springsteen is rebelling against the callousness of the Reagan kind of flag-waving.

2--That his rebellion is selling enormously well at all ticket agencies and record stores--the best opinion polls in the world.

It is my hunch that the 1988 election returns could make Reagan/Podhoretz types look as dead as the Sgt. York weapon and real patriots like Springsteen and Mario Cuomo look great.

HAROLD WATERHOUSE

Pacific Palisades