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Eric Boehlert's article chastising the conservative wing of the punditocracy is interesting, but misses some glaring points.

First, it is Vice President Gore who "blew it," bungling his 6 point popular/60 vote electoral lead in October. The "strong economy" and "peaceful world" was supposed to propel Gore to a 54 percent popular victory and big electoral win.

Second, the vitriol of the conservative punditry was surpassed by the left's carpet-bombing campaign on Ralph Nader for his "spoiler" candidacy. Even your publication dropped some Molotov cocktails on his quixotic quest for the presidency.

Everyone is angry. Conservatives don't have a monopoly on that emotion right now.

-- L. Cortes

As a registered Independent voter I've seen more bias and truth-twisting on the Republican side, as Eric Boehlert documents in his article.

When Gore uses perfectly legal means to contest the close Florida vote, Republicans call it stealing and a coup. It appears that Republicans are trying to run out the clock, blocking any more recounts, until Florida Republican electors are safely in place for the Electoral College vote. It looks like they'll get their way, and Bush will become the next president.

But I think that after Bush's inauguration, the questionable ballots will eventually be counted (Freedom of Information Act). And Gore will be found to be the actual winner of Florida. It will be too late. But the accusers, who said Gore tried to steal the election, will have to admit (if only to themselves) that Bush, in effect, stole the election.

-- Harlan Simantel

Ever since the impeachment nightmare, I have been bewildered by the level of vitriol from Republicans and the conservative press. Of late, I find it downright frightening. It's one thing to disagree with an opponent's ideas and policies, or even to dislike an opponent. It's quite another to portray an opponent as nothing short of a monster. They've accused Al Gore of everything but child molestation and serial murder. Forgetting about the obvious hypocrisy of much of the Republicans' argument, it's the tone that really gives me pause. It's that same tone that is giving rise to the Florida Legislature's threat to essentially control the election outcome. Surely there must be some cooler Republican voices out there who are equally alarmed about this hysteria?

-- Joanne Kleiner Levin