There's an interesting letter to the editor in last week's New Yorker (print edition) regarding Peter Boyer's article on the Democrats' king-making efforts on behalf of the "pro-life" senatorial candidate Robert Casey, Jr.:

Boyer's thought-provoking article on the Democrats' efforts to reach out to opponents of abortion rights omits two points that might have put the issue in better historical context. In 2000, the Democrats in Pennsylvania nominated a pro-life candidate, Ron Klink, then a U.S. representative, to run against Senator Rick Santorum. Klink received forty-six per cent of thevote, while the Democratic Presidential nominee, Al Gore, carried the state. Further, although there may be strong anti-abortion sentiment in Pennsylvania, the last four Presidential elections were won by the Democratic nominee (each one solidly pro-choice). While Casey's position on abortion may take the issue off the table, it hardly guarantees his victory in 2006.

Claude R. Marx
Salem, Mass.

Interesting, considering all the righteous claims made in various quarters that defending a woman's right over her own body would be a political liability in PA.

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