To the Editor:
Re “The Democrats Can’t Go On Like This” (editorial, July 10):
The editorial board is right to point out the high points of Graham Platner’s now dead campaign for a crucial Senate seat in Maine. He connected with the overflow crowds who were eager to hear him and to support his campaign against his Republican opponent, Senator Susan Collins.
They shared his anger — directed not just at Donald Trump and the Republicans in Congress, but also at the economy, which favors the rich and powerful over the lower classes. He showed conviction, and voters eagerly, even desperately, responded to that.
His removal from the campaign is nothing more than a Pyrrhic victory to this lifelong Democrat. Yes, he was a flawed human being. He was not a monk, nor did he pretend to be. He made mistakes in his life. But he was also a Marine combat veteran. To the Democrats who demanded that he step down, I would ask: Did his service to the nation count for anything? Could it be that his time fighting for the country was the root cause of many of those flaws, especially his dependence on alcohol?
I am a Vietnam veteran and would have voted for Mr. Platner in a heartbeat if I lived in Maine. Right now, in these very dangerous times for our country, with a renegade president seemingly bent on destroying America while he greedily lines his pockets, I’ll take a flawed candidate who can win every time.
In her speech at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, Michelle Obama, referring to the Republican Party, said, “When they go low, we go high.”
A noble sentiment. How is that working out for the Democrats?
Len DiSesa Dresher, Pa.
To the Editor:
I liked Graham Platner. Even with his baggage, he was an exciting adversary for Senator Susan Collins. But this rape allegation is too much. I am devastated.
Considering the disarray, we are actually lucky. The Democrats still have strong candidates for governor. And they are stepping up to fill the void. Dr. Nirav Shah, for example, would be an excellent senator. He has degrees in epidemiology, law and economics. He would be able to hold his own against Ms. Collins.
The challenge is how to avoid what happened in the last presidential campaign. I hope the Democratic leadership has a plan that Mainers can buy into without stirring resentment and doubt.
Ms. Collins may be hard to beat. She put a lot of money into negative Platner ads and will come out now with dark money guns blazing. But do not underestimate Mainers. Many are tired of her spineless pandering to President Trump; still others fear that she might resist or vote against him. And her next adversary will not be so easy to demonize.
If Democrats do their job well now, there could be a stellar candidate going against her.
Jo Trafford Portland, Maine
To the Editor:
Your editorial states that “so much energy was poured into a messenger before anyone was sure of the message.” That is backward.
Many Democrats were enlivened by Graham Platner’s message. He demonstrated anger and outrage that so many of us in the party are experiencing. He articulated our frustration with the continued timidity exemplified by our party, with no new plan to address our concerns.
The phrase should have been “so much energy was poured into a message before anyone was sure of the messenger.”
Patricia Barker Newton, N.J.
To the Editor:
The editorial board claims that “the Democrats can’t go on like this.” I disagree. Yes they can, and they almost certainly will. And they’ll probably still do very well.
Expecting the opposition party to provide voters with anything resembling a coherent set of alternative policies in a midterm election year is not only unrealistic, it is also unnecessary.
A midterm election is largely a referendum on the performance of the incumbent president and his party. Right now, a substantial majority of Americans are very dissatisfied with President Trump and the Republicans. That they don’t love the Democrats is irrelevant. They are ready to vote for a change and, in a two-party system, the only way to do that is to vote for the opposition party.
Alan Abramowitz Decatur, Ga. The writer is a professor emeritus of political science at Emory University.
The Smithsonian’s Goal
To the Editor:
Re “White House Accuses Smithsonian of Negative Portrayal of U.S.” (news article, July 7):
The Smithsonian Institution’s goal is to increase and spread knowledge, not to be a quasi-factual repository of our nation’s checkered history as preferred by this or any president.
I think it and its leadership are doing a fine job.
Daniel Fink Beverly Hills, Calif.
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