From a reader:

There was a lot to read today on the blogosphere and I hadn’t gotten around to reading your piece. To be honest, I was little tired and didn’t really plan on reading it. But after reading Albert’s letter that you posted on the Corner I couldn’t click the link fast enough. You must have said something outrageous to get such a response (since I am not a professional writer – well, I am, I’m an attorney, it’s just that nobody reads what I write – I was probably more shocked by the letter than you). This is not meant as a backhanded compliment, but I didn’t see anything controversial or groundbreaking in your opinion. Democrats have a passion about being Democrats. After all, they are the party of identity politics. But almost every Republican I know says, “I am a Republican but …” Or, “I support Bush but …” In my case, as in yours, the “but” precedes a complaint about creeping liberalism, but that is neither here nor there. As you say, this is politics and most of politics is negotiable. We are grownups and we realize that.
Mike (LA, CA)