Re: “ ‘No Kings’ rally draws crowd over a mile long” (Oct. 19, A1):
I attended the “No Kings” rally and march in Seattle on Saturday along with thousands of others. It was unclear to me just what specific demands and intentions were part of this unprecedented nationwide organizing effort, with more than 2,600 protests across the country. What was clear to me is that the official Democratic Party apparatus had no apparent leadership role in the massive nationwide organizing effort, nor much of an active, on-the-ground presence in the carnivallike parades. Except for a few speakers, mainstream Democrats were missing in action. One can only speculate why the historical “party of the people” was largely a no-show.
With the lowest approval rating in over 30 years, Democrats may have missed a golden opportunity to shore up their ranks and demonstrate real grassroots leadership.
Peter Steinbrueck, Seattle
