The Democrats’ family argument

Re “My winning strategy,” Opinion, April 24

The Democratic race is still close; pollsters have proved themselves wrong time and again, and I doubt they have it right when they say that most Democrats think Barack Obama is the winner. But the real 800-pound gorilla in the room will always be Florida and Michigan. No matter how you try to spin it, Obama will never be perceived as a legitimate candidate in a contest this close if those voters don’t get a say.

The same people who are such sticklers for the rules that keep Florida and Michigan out seem perfectly happy to bend them when it comes to the role of the superdelegates. Their candidate is weak and growing weaker every day as they try to cling to the rules that are convenient for their side. If Hillary Clinton wins Indiana, they better wake up to the fact that she is the real nominee.

Jean Anker

Granada Hills

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My fear is that Clinton and her husband are taking their playbook from the Republican Party -- winning at any cost, even if it means manipulating her nomination, just as George W. Bush did in 2000. For those of us who went through that debacle, this sickening repeat is almost too much to bear. I lay the blame at the feet of Democratic Party chief Howard Dean, who has sent mixed messages that have only divided the party. We don’t need vague; we need direction. Nancy Pelosi, take a stand!

Charlotte Hildebrand

Los Angeles

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As a Democrat, I will vote for whichever Democratic candidate survives the primary contests. The Op-Ed page’s purpose is to allow qualified people to express opinions that may help the public in forming opinions and acting on those. I protest this Rosa Brooks column. Except for her vocabulary, it is infantile.

She has every right to campaign for her candidate, but to do so as she has is despicable. Her attack on Clinton rates lower on the scale of opinionated discussion than the most unacceptable statements made by Clinton about Obama and by Obama about Clinton.

Robert Willard

Los Angeles