I agree with Rory Stine ("Candidates lacking, but better than Bush," Sept. 23) that President Bush is much less qualified to be president than any of the Democratic candidates (and yes, even a dog). The problem is that no democrat will beat Bush next November. Why would I say such a thing, you may be asking. Can this be true even though Wesley Clark has a three-point lead over Bush in the latest poll? Yes, it can.

The lack of solidarity on the Democratic front will be their collapse in November. The reason is that only a plurality of national democratic voters support Clark, the most popular candidate on that side. Though he has a lead, political analysts credit this to the recent hoopla over his entry in the race, which will no doubt subside in the coming months. Thus, while I support Fido over Bush in 2004, no two, or four, legged candidate will prevail in the next election.