Democrats

Re “Class Divisions Among Democrats Pit Primary Calendar Against Gore,” Oct. 4:

If the Democratic Party is indeed prepared to follow the Halloween scenario for the next presidential election as described by Ron Brownstein, then it is well deserving of inevitable defeat. If, as theorized by Brownstein, the best educated and most financially comfortable among Democrats have already firmly rejected Al Gore’s eminent senatorial experience and proven record on social, economic and environmental issues, as well as two terms in the arena of world leadership, in favor of some sort of in-crowd chic surrounding the candidacy of Bill Bradley, then the party of Roosevelt, Truman and Kennedy is in real trouble.

Brownstein says such lemming behavior follows a “pattern of earlier Democratic races” that turned to “self-consciously apolitical profiles like Bradley’s.” He goes on to link the senator with Gary Hart and Paul Tsongas. He could have included Adlai Stevenson, George McGovern and a couple of other also-ran candidates who actually carried the party’s nomination--and lost big-time.

Are the Democrats really intent on handing over the executive office to George Junior with even the slight possibility that the screwball Republican-led Congress will have the opportunity to take another shot at Social Security, the National Park Service and God knows what else, without the threat of veto? And what about the Supreme Court and Roe vs. Wade?

GLORIA J. RICHARDS

Simi Valley

*

I take exception to Brownstein’s conclusion that the union vote will favor Gore. Bradley is union. He has been there; he draws a pension from the professional basketball players’ union. There exists among union members a very strong esprit de corps--once union, always union!

What is Gore’s union background? Rethink this issue, Mr. Brownstein.

TERRY L. MALONE

Anaheim

*

I believe that Bill Clinton and his policies have saved this country from ruin; if the Reagan-Bush deficit had gone on, it would have broken us as it did the Soviet Union. Now, even though I believe Gore is a good man, I trust that Bradley will get the nomination, as he can beat oilman Gov. George W. Bush.

DAVID MORETSKI

Sherman Oaks

*

Arianna Huffington’s Oct. 5 commentary misses Gore’s fundamental mistake: He should have moved political fixer Tony Coelho out of his campaign and kept his headquarters in Washington. Appointing Coelho in the first place was one of the most tone-deaf decisions Gore has made. That it has not been undone at the first available opportunity suggests that some basic insight on the nature of public leadership is missing in the candidate sitting at the head of the campaign table.

PAUL A. MYERS

Pomona

* Gore’s campaign lacks grass roots? At least that’s what Huffington sneeringly says. But remember, she’s the columnist who first fertilized Warren Beatty’s Astroturf candidacy.

TARJA BLACK

Lancaster