Column evokes strong response

To the editor:

Once again, Harry Reid showed right-thinking Nevadans that he is out of his league as a U.S. senator ("Enough is enough, Harry," Sherman Frederick's Sunday column). He has neither the communication skills nor the finesse to occupy that office.

Mr. Frederick's comments about Sen. Reid's bullying tactics at a Chamber of Commerce luncheon -- he said to R-J advertising director Bob Brown that he hoped the paper would, "go out of business" --indicates he is the same old speak-before-you-think guy he has always been.

He's an embarrassment to Nevada.

He has also said many other incredulous things such as, "The war is lost," or, "The surge is not working." Of President Bush he said, "He's a liar."

For a U.S. senator to speak out the way he does before weighing the possible political fallout proves he should never again be elected to any office.

As a reader of the paper for 40 years, I, for one, am grateful for the conservative leanings of Mr. Frederick and the Review-Journal opinion page.

Bob Valentine

LAS VEGAS

To the editor:

So "Dingy Harry" wants to put you out of business.

Well, his business has been to destroy America, so come November 2010, I hope the people of Nevada put him out of business, along with all his real estate shenanigans.

You have a tea party coming up. Let's hope it is a big success and well attended. We'll save this nation yet.

ED WILLIAMS

CULPEPER, VA.

To the editor:

I do not know whether Harry Reid was joking, serious, or "kidding on the square" when he said, "I hope you go out of business" to R-J director of advertising, Bob Brown.

But, assuming Sen. Reid was serious, Mr. Frederick needs to get a grip.

The Review-Journal editorial page has attacked Sen. Reid relentlessly for decades, essentially saying to him, "We hope you go out of business."Is it shocking that a politician wishes his most vocal, high circulation critic would shut up?

If the senator was prescribing IRS audits for prominent R-J advertisers, it would present a problem. But the piece written by Mr. Frederick does not describe one overt act to put the paper out of business, or even a threat to do so.

Rodney Jean

LAS VEGAS

To the editor:

So let me get this straight; Harry Reid has a tele-conference town hall meeting because he doesn't want any shouting or petty mean spirited comments. But then he goes to a Chamber luncheon and makes petty mean spirited comments. Now we know that what Sen. Reid meant by saying "I hope you go out of business" was basically go eat a bug.

Harry can't possibly want hundreds of people to lose their jobs in this economy, or does he? It's getting hard to tell.

Tom Grossmann

LAS VEGAS

To the editor:

Sen Harry Reid needs to be replaced. He is out of control. I wish that I could register to vote in Nevada. Maybe I will allow ACORN to register me there so that I can.

I will be donating to whoever runs against him. I would subscribe to your paper if I could -- being out of state I don't think that you can deliver to me. My hat is off to your paper.

Congratulations.

D.E. Mack

SPRINGVILLE, UTAH

To the editor:

Way to go. It gives this Floridian pleasure to learn the spirit of the West is still alive and well.

God bless America and your newspaper.

Lee Boyland

MELBOURNE FLA.

To the editor:

I was not surprised to read Sherman Frederick's column regarding Sen. Harry Reid's encounter with Bob Brown of the Review-Journal. I love it when politicians say things off the cuff because that's when they are saying what's really on their minds.

When people have been enjoying a privileged lifestyle for a long time -- such as a U.S. senator -- they tend to see themselves as deity and above the average person. However, Nevada faces skyrocketing unemployment, tens of thousands have lost their jobs, homes, etc. Yet, Harry Reid "hopes" your paper goes out of business? How many do you employ? What kind of selfish jerk is he?

And if he talks to the people of Nevada like that, what in the world is he saying when he represents us around the country and the globe?

Mr. Frederick is correct ... he's a bully. I hope next election time we the people of Nevada can return the favor to Sen. Reid and hope he goes out of business. Of course, if he loses his job he is a multi-millionaire and his good buddy who runs the White House will probably find him a cushy "czar" job paid for by the taxpayers and not accountable to Congress.

Thanks, Sen. Reid, for letting us know your true feelings about your fellow Nevadans, no matter who they work for. Come next election we'll let you know ours when we vote.

Carol Austin-Fink

LAS VEGAS

To the editor:

Sherman Frederick is absolutely right in saying that if Sen. Harry Reid will not hesitate to make such a low-class statement about the Review-Journal to one of your employees, it is an obvious indication he is accustomed to using his powerful position to bully others -- it is the tip of the iceberg.

I think Sen. Reid is unable to conceive of the important contribution your paper has made over the years on behalf of Nevadans. He is concerned with only his own self-interests.

Nevada voters need to rally together to make Sen. Reid's present term in office his last.

Jim Fitzgerald

CARSON CITY

To the editor:

Sherman Frederick's Sunday column discussing the bully tactics of our senior senator was both sad and expected. Sen. Reid seems to have assumed that his seniority entitles him to an arrogance that he finds unacceptable in us lesser citizens.

It is time for the senator to learn that his approach to the people who elect him is totally unacceptable and he should move on.

Unfortunately for all of us, the "war" chest that he is generating from sources outside the state will allow him to barrage all of us with his elitist advertising.

It is time for Harry to go.

GARY DOYLE

LAS VEGAS

To the editor:

I have been a subscriber for years and I danced around the room when I heard you give Harry Reid hell. Thank you a million times.

Margaret Bruce

HENDERSON

To the editor:

In response to Sherman Frederick's column on Harry Reid:

I have added the Review-Journal to the favorites on my tool bar and will read the newspaper every day even though I live in Mississippi. Thanks for your honesty and courage, something we never see coming out of Washington, D.C. or from any of our senators or representatives.

Ginger Cooke

DUBLIN, MISS.

To the editor:

Boo hoo hoo. Big mean Sen. Harry Reid hurt poor little Sherman's feelings by saying he hoped "you go out of business." If I'm not mistaken, this is that pesky old First Amendment freedom of speech that you so conveniently cite for your constant professional, political and personal attacks on Sen. Reid that have been going on for years.

But wait, it is Sen. Reid doing the talking this time, not Mr. Frederick, Glenn Cook, Thomas Mitchell, Vin Suprynowicz, or one of the other myriad reactionary arch conservative columnists that you favor us with ad nauseam.

Here's a thought: Why not call for the impeachment or recall of the embarrassment sitting in the governor's office, Jim Gibbons? How about an attack on the esteemed, moralizing, sanctimonious hypocrite Sen. John Ensign, with his "I didn't do anything illegal" answer to questions of his affair with his wife's best friend while she was his employee, and then letting daddy pay them off to go away. But no, they get a free pass.

If there was a viable alternative to the Review-Journal available, trust me, it would have a large readership.

The tragedy that has become the American newspaper business is that the days of the multiple daily papers, with multiple viewpoints, have passed, leaving too many cities with only one opinion voiced, one viewpoint aired, so that one man can declare himself insulted and free to then threaten "Enough is Enough."

Grow up. If you can't take it a well as you so gleefully dish it out, take your ball and go home.

You might be surprised how few miss you.

Tim Ryan

LAS VEGAS

To the editor:

Democrat, Republican, independent, whatever, how dare Sen. Harry Reid wish any legitimate news media outlet to "go out of business." Maybe he's been listening to the diversity officer at the FCC who agrees with Hugo Chavez that the media not in agreement with the government should be closed.

Keep fighting. You have the punch the little guys out here don't have -- at least not until election time.

Tom Sullivan

BELLE HARBOR, N.Y.

To the editor:

I read Sherman Frederick's response to Harry Reid's comment that he hopes your newspaper goes out of business.

How dare he make a comment like that ... especially in today's economy?

Finally, a newspaper with a backbone. I will be reading your paper online daily now.

I will also support any advertiser that I can.

Please don't let these bully, power-hungry types get away with this type of intimidation.

Susan Simpson

CAVE CREEK, ARIZ.

To the editor: