Stop, Mr. Krugman!

Why don't you re-read your column on February 11. You told us that you would like to see moments with more "strong assurances from both Democratic candidates that they respect their opponents and would support them in the general election." You implied the supporters of each should do the same.

But today's column is all about scaring "progressive activists" with a handful of rhetorical questions that frame the likely nominee as all superficial personality and likely to lose to McCain's personality in the general election.

All in all, the Democrats are in a place few expected a year ago. The 2008 campaign, it seems, will be waged on the basis of personality, not political philosophy. If the magic works, all will be forgiven. But if it doesn't, the recriminations could tear the party apart.

No, that isn't what happened and it won't tear the party apart. We read your very pro-Clinton pieces and considered them very carefully. Thank you for your insight, as always. But this hasn't been all about personality - and I am tired of this being seen as a pejorative term - over political philosophy. It is about leadership, which I think is a lot more than just personality, and it seems a lot of people support Obama's leadership over Clinton's. Either one of them have the political points that can win in November.

You, like all of us, are welcome to make another plug for the policy issues you think are important, but stop implying that the progressive activists of Obama have been duped into supporting an articulate Bloomberg, as you did today.

Go Obama or Clinton. Let's just get it over with.