Dear FRONTLINE,

I find the intensely negative, visceral reactions of some viewers expressed in this forum to be a bit disconcerting. I would hope that any rational, reasonably well-educated individual with a conscience could agree that the mean spirited, win-at-all-costs approach to politics epitomized by Lee Atwater has been anything but positive for our nation. Lying, character assassination, and demagoguery obviously have helped win elections, but at what cost to the sense of unity and mutuality that must exist for a nation or a society to prosper? Kudos to Frontline for helping educate the public about this man who has had a tremendous influence on the tenor of politics and governance today. And shame on those who would praise or even simply tolerate the politics of hate that Atwater championed, no matter what your political affiliation might be.

John Sanderson
Canton, NC

Dear FRONTLINE,

How can such a sociopath, or perhaps even a psychopath, make it to the "big time"? Well, my friend, if he can win this race, hire em! Shame on Mary Matilan for calling the liar a strategist. Shame on Bush and like politicians for washing their silky hands of this slime. Shame on the political machines for bringing out the worst of the American public. Shame on the self-absorbed journalists who just want to be part of the drama and cover public policy like a Sunday afternoon sports event. Shame on us all who reinforce this behavior with our vote. My children don't deserve to be taken where current politics lead us.

Billy West
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Dear FRONTLINE,

It is amazing to see the underlying subtexts of most PBS documentaries, esp Frontline ones -- GOP is bad, Dems are good; Conservatives are bad, Liberals are good; George W Bush is bad; all his political opponents are good.....the theme just continues....for someone with no context of recent American political history (high school and college students, new immigrants, etc), the indoctrination program and blatant anti-GOP bias is evident program after program after program. Will PBS ever have the guts to make a similar documentary on Paul Begala and James Carville, the Clinton henchmen? Or, how about something on David Axelrod and David Plouffe, in the future? Or, will they be PBS' white knights who took America's Anointed One to the Promised Land? I think, Mary Matalin summed it best at the end of this documentary when talking of Atwater's legacy, esp his final days and the liberals love for pointing out his repentance -- after all, they were right all along and he was the bad guy, right PBS? I dare PBS to make or air a documentary that is critical of the Dems and/or liberals and their political operators. It will never happen.

Atlanta, GA

Dear FRONTLINE,

The program on Lee Atwater was good, unfortunately the producer failed to share how much Lee attracted African-Americans to the Republican Party.

For it was Lee who many others and I worked for in the Reagan-Bush 84 Campaign with Ed Rollins, and it was Lee who assisted find political appointments in the Administration after the elections he worked on for others and myself. Lee even hired minorities to work at the RNC during his tenure as Chairman and in significant and prominent positions.

A suggestion for next time is to go outside your comfort zone and interview those who worked with the man such as myself, while at the RNC and on Presidential Campaigns who are not Caucasians, and thereby portraying him in a better light instead of as some racist campaigner as the show might have done for many. Heck, I'd even help you find those people that all worked for him so get different a different view of how the man assisted so many.

The man was great at what he did, for he had a dream, some goals, and found his way to the top. While his methods were unheard of at the time he was a mastermind in politics, campaigns and elections.

Derek Hankerson
St. Augustine, Florida

Dear FRONTLINE,

As a 70 year old Black man, who's been a political participant, activist and watcher for most of my years, including those of the nefarious character Atwater, I wish to say how despicable he was and how his acolyte, Karl Rove, has just been banished. President-elect Obama's election has proved the bankruptcy of "dirty tricks" for a majority of Americans. True, it's been a long time coming. Yet, it's about time. Lives of decency are not grounded in odious stage-management, mischaracterization and outright lying. It's an insult to all humanity. May he rot in hell.

Joseph Harrington
Hartford, CT

Dear FRONTLINE,

I find it difficult to believe that this documentary surprised anyone that lived through the elections of the 1980s. I find it even more difficult to believe that it surprises anyone who reads newspapers, books or watches television programs, particularly those Sunday "news" shows during an election. Politics is and always has been about the spin. Lee Atwater was simply brilliant, not deranged. He accomplished his task. In politics as in the rest of life, that is the definition of success.

B. Crawford
Paragould, AR

Dear FRONTLINE,

Dirty politics has worked for decades. McCain was pushed into going dirty on Obama but the contradictions were too great for the public and the charges didn't stick. The shame of it all is that by glorifying people like Lee Atwater, Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, and simple minded values such as small government, low taxes, etc. the neo conservatives have diminished the conservative values into blatant ridiculous contradictions that hopefully have run their course.

The term liberal has become synonymous with wimpy, tax and spend, give everything to non deserving people, etc. The term conservative has equally become synonymous with moral hypocrisy, proclaimers of small government low taxes but in real life spend without restraint and life off credit, anti intellectual, can't find money for decent health care of veterans but are willing to sign up for unlimited spending on wars.

We are in need of a rebirth of political values and principles.

Alvin Enns
Raleigh, NC

Dear FRONTLINE,

I find it astonishing that anyone can be so blinded to the ruthlessness of Lee Atwater as to be offended by the showing of events that have been well documented by the members of the media, many of whom were unwitting accomplices of his. The results of last week's election are due in no small part to tactics inspired by Mr. Atwater.

Houston, TX

Dear FRONTLINE,

wow. that was a pure morality play. sad real and very well done by stefan forbes and pbs. this driven little man did indeed gain his washington world and lost whatever soul he had bigtime. expect a pulitzer prize for this scary lesson to you young turks starting your climb. to us old fighter pilots that fly upside down under bridges we now understand why we have been saved..to teach our kids to play nice. be nice. wow again. that was a true masterpiece.

big gabe
marlboro, vermont

Dear FRONTLINE,

Lee Atwater was not the two dimensional character outlined in this Frontline report. Maybe your report is the story people right now would prefer to hear, but the man was a incredibly smart - hence all his success. To discount the man as a "trickster" who suffered for his sins in the end, is to miss the true heart of a talented workaholic who lived for the political fight and victory over his opponents. This guy was much bigger than your piece. He was a true fighter until the end and deserves a deeper examination.

Al Whyte
Cleveland, Ohio

Dear FRONTLINE,

I worked for Lee during key times in the documentary. The omissions, the distortions, and other information you pass along as facts are to say the least, disappointing. I am one who generally believes the press is not biased and wants to believe agendas are not part of their approach to a project. This one seriously undermines my faith. Given how far off base this project is, it makes me doubt things I see where I dont know much.

Everything about your portrayal -- starting with the unbelievably inflammatory title -- makes me hurt for his family and the many many friends he had. I shake my head wondering what the purpose, what the news value, what relevance was to, 17 years later, denigrate his memory so....You must have had a reason... Hope you feel you provided some kind of service...

Chris Kearney
fairfax, virginia

Dear FRONTLINE,

Thank you for airing this important work of historic journalism. I will be doing some research to find out where Lee Atwater is buried; I will then make it a point of visiting his grave and urinating on it.

John McCarthy
Chicago, Illinois

Dear FRONTLINE,

This is good clinical example of psychopathy.

Luis Rodriguez MD
Brooksville, Florida

Dear FRONTLINE,

The man was slime. I cannot see how anyone, even Karl Rove and Mary Matalin can speak of him in affectionate terms. This person, and the people he served have no decency or respect for their fellow citizens yet they aspire for the positions of power they are intrusted to serve them. This program put the past eight years of abuse of power and trust into perspective.

valley center, kansas

Dear FRONTLINE,

This documentary masterfully exposes the complex warp and woof of childhood trauma, the wounded aspect of southern culture, and genetic temperment in the rise of malignant narcissism in contemporary American party politics. It is small wonder that unanalyzed traumatic experiences among this leadership cluster is re-enacted on the larger stage of global relations by politicians propelled to prominence on the thermals collective distress and rage. "Boogie Man" is a tragic drama of the highest order. Bravo!

Robert Albiston
Knoxville, Tennessee