It seems to me that Fred Barnes has randomly run through all five stages of grief in "The Survivor in Chief" (op-ed, Nov. 8). By lamenting "had Mr. Romney won" on more than one occasion, he appears to be in denial. But then he also expresses anger by stating that "the GOP was thwarted is putting it mildly."
Mr. Barnes even appears to be bargaining when he suggests that for President Obama to have "even a modestly successful second term depends on his ability to get along passably with Republicans." But alas, depression hovers when he frets that "for two elections, Republicans have failed to alter the balance of power in Washington." And yet Mr. Barnes concludes with wistful acceptance that the "Republican future is brighter than it appears at the moment."
It could have been a satisfactory analysis had Mr. Barnes at least credited "the unenthusiastic Democratic voter" such as me with a little more intelligence than one who got manipulated by "strategists."
Jack Nargundkar
Germantown, Md.
