Watch out, Republicans

Re “The Democrats’ feel-good guy,” Opinion, Dec. 11

Jonah Goldberg gets it wrong in many ways. First, the Democratic sweep in 2006 was as nearly “magically transformative” as you can get. Former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld is out, Robert M. Gates is in; Vice President Dick Cheney is down; the grown-ups are in charge; and U.S. intelligence agencies dare a praetorian revolt over Iran.

It’s Republican intransigence that obstructs U.S. withdrawal from Iraq. The Democrats have not yet been granted a veto-proof majority.

Goldberg says the “surge” is working. As a tactic, it’s executing its maneuvers, but as an element in strategy, it’s yet to prove sustainable until the Shiite majority decides to yield its sectarian power. He’s counting his chickens too soon.

And for Goldberg to call Hillary Clinton a “buzz-kill” is to ignore the certain expectation of excitement that the possible first female nominee for a major party is going to generate.

I’m a man, and the prospect of shaming the Republicans for their reluctance to advance human rights fills me with partisan glee. There’s no way that the majority of women will not think “It’s about time!” And they’ll know who to thank: Democrats.

Stephen D. Clark

Portsmouth, N.H.