‘He can't handle people who disagree with him’: Does David Brooks really believe in the fictitious speech he thinks a Democrat should give? If so, he has the same visceral dislike of George Bush and Howard Dean that I have. ... But, wait, oh, I forgot. Bush is Churchill. Dean is just a country doctor from Vermont. My mistakes. And David’s.

Update -- Reader No. 1 writes in:

"(Brooks) is a fabulous writer, a huge gain for the Times. But he got it majorly wrong today as only a tried and true Washingtonian. If Americans wanted a candidate who would end this 'war at home' of incivility, the Dem frontrunner would be one of the members of The World's Greatest Debating Society and Private Club, aka the US Senate... we would have elected Howard Baker or Bob Dole, not Ronald Reagan... Al Gore and not Bill Clinton.

"Suburban educated NPR listeners who live in million dollar homes may not like the 'tone' of Washington debate but they sure like divided government. Or have the national election results of the last 25 years just been an amazing coincidence?

"David, stick to Red and Blue America and leave the gridlock worries to David Broder."  ¶ 10:07 AM