Carville on Party Unity and Lincoln

I was stunned to find that James Carville admires the unquestioning obedience of party minions in the name of party unity (Column Left, Jan. 12). He cites the Republicans sticking by Lincoln when he took a risky position against the expansion of slavery in new U.S. territories (the moral high ground at the time) and, by inference, equates that with the Republicans hanging tough for Newt Gingrich. There is a world of difference between being loyal to one’s party and supporting a dishonest party member.

Carville goes on to say, “History has shown that when you stand together, ultimately you win politically.” For starters, such thinking gave us Mussolini, Hitler, the Vietnam War and a multitrillion-dollar national debt.

Carville should know that many Democrats, myself included, are fiercely loyal to our party and support President Clinton in his efforts to advance the party’s agenda, but such support does not extend to tolerating dishonesty in the name of solidarity.

WILLIAM McCALL

Arcadia

* Carville applauds the Republicans for rallying around Gingrich, and he wants Democrats to show the same support for Clinton no matter what level of malfeasance or crimes the president may have committed. If Carville did not demonstrate such a fundamental lack of understanding of American history, his views might be more creditable. He wrote that “history has borne this lesson out” that Lincoln took a risky stance with the Republican Party with his opposition to the expansion of slavery into the new territories.

Lincoln did not take any risk by his opposition to slavery expansion. Some of his Republican opponents for the presidential nomination did, however, take considerable political risks by pushing for total abolition of slavery. Lincoln’s moderate position on slavery made him more acceptable to the delegates at the Republican convention. If Lincoln had not supported opposition to slavery expansion in the new territories, he would not have received the nomination at all. Opposition to slavery expansion in the new territories was the glue that cemented the new Republican Party together.

JAMES W. CAMERON

Burbank