Finding Honesty, Fault in Dean’s Leadership

In the June 12 editorial “Leading With His Lip,” you say, “We’d be equally concerned if it were the Republicans who’d turned to their own version of a Howard Dean for leadership.” This is absurd. Who among the Republican leadership gets in trouble for speaking the truth?

You may say the Republican leadership is sincere, but it is a mistake to confuse sincerity with honesty. You may say Dean is blunt, but bluntness is a virtue in an honest man, and Dean is that.

And bluntness is something the Democratic Party clearly needs these days.

It is time for the Democratic Party to talk about its convictions and about what a bad job the Republicans are really doing.

Anthony Godshall

Alameda

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I just can’t stop laughing at your editorial lambasting the absurdity of statements made by Dean. I have never seen such disingenuousness when you ended the column with, “We’d be equally concerned if it were the Republicans who’d turned to their own version of a Howard Dean for leadership.” You folks would all be on crutches from the tears in your Achilles tendons from jumping up to click your heels together!

Peter L. Rhein

Los Angeles

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After listening to and reading about recent controversial remarks by Dean, I wonder whether he receives income from the Democratic National Committee, the Republican National Committee, both or neither.

Marcus Jacobson

Los Angeles

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Let me add my voice to the many who are saying “Bravo!” to the “zealous” Dean. He is taking the battle to the pale and privileged leaders of the Republican Party, and it’s about time.

The Democrats who criticize Dean’s plain-spokenness need to know one thing: He’s not talking to them. He’s talking to me and the legions of grass-roots supporters who are tired of being called “godless” and “cowardly” by the right. He’s telling us he knows how to fight and he’s not afraid to take some hits for the cause. If more Democrats would call it like they see it, we would support them too.

Renee Leask

Glendale

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There has been media attention to reported concerns expressed by unnamed Democrats aimed at Dean’s attacks on the current administration and its policies. Supposedly they want him to “soft-pedal it,” or we might find it difficult to attract “moderate” Republicans to the fold.

Any “moderate” Republicans who have the good sense to oppose this regime know that it can’t be defeated by appeasement. We need to divest ourselves of the idea that it is somehow unpatriotic to speak ill of the occupant of the White House and those who support him. This country is supposed to thrive on dissent. God help us if we ever reach the point where we can’t.

Gilbert C. Alston

Pasadena