Letters to the editor

Know when to say goodbye

Re "Clinton nudged by her friends," May 8

I am a lifelong liberal Democrat and a great admirer of Hillary Rodham Clinton. However, George McGovern is right in asking her to withdraw, and she should heed his advice.

It has gotten to the point that even I -- as much as I respect her -- cannot stand to hear supporters on TV keep repeating her bogus bullet points as to why she should continue. It is the first time in my life I have had to turn the TV off when a Democrat was talking.

Bill Clinton once said that it depends on what you mean by "is" -- but whatever you mean, this "is" over. Hillary Clinton will hurt the party, and herself, if she continues. Al Gore knew when to say goodbye. Clinton must do the same. Hillary '12, anyone?

Stan Coleite

Santa Monica



Re "Possible next move: Prolonging the path," May 7

Your article states that Clinton won Florida and Michigan "handily." Those states were stripped of their delegates long before the primaries by the Democratic Party for moving their election dates in contravention of party rules. Both Barack Obama and Clinton pledged to forgo campaigning in those states; Obama wasn't even on Michigan's ballot. Winning "handily" in a race with only one candidate is nothing to brag about in my book.

I don't understand what all the fuss is about. Here's how it works: After the last primary on June 3, the Democratic candidate with the most votes is the winner. Is the party seriously considering disenfranchising its voter base by anointing a candidate who lost the popular vote? This is a recipe for political disaster from which the party would never recover. The fact that Clinton is apparently angling for this outcome makes her unfit to lead the country.

Stacy Bermingham

San Diego



Re "What McCain expects from judges," May 7

Your coverage of John McCain's address at Wake Forest University omitted his sneering dismissal of Barack Obama's September 2005 commentary on John Roberts' Supreme Court confirmation as "vague words attempt(ing) to justify judicial activism."

With this comment, McCain revealed an alarming ignorance of the constitutional role of the judicial branch, as well as his ignorance of Obama's commentary.



Like the previous Republican presidential candidate, McCain achieves the lie by simply ignoring the truth.

Joe Riley

Burbank



Re "The wear and tear on the Democrats," letters, May 6

It's difficult to understand how anyone, particularly a Democrat or independent voter, can dislike Clinton (or for that matter, Obama) so much that they would be willing to not vote or vote for John McCain. Do they not realize the consequences of a Republican victory this November? McCain admits he knows little about economics, is ready to remain in Iraq for years, has accepted the torture policy of the Bush administration and will do little to change the president's disastrous policies. At least as important will be the turnover of Supreme Court justices and the appointments of any number of federal judges, continued pressure to privatize Social Security and increasingly expensive healthcare costs.

Please consider all this before permitting your animosity for whichever Democrat wins the nomination to overcome your desire to see our great country win back the esteem of its citizens and the world. This will only occur with a President Obama or Clinton.

Eleanor Jackson

Palm Springs

Re "Give voters a clue," Opinion, May 6

I'd like to thank Jonah Goldberg for setting me straight: The policy proposals of presidential candidates are meaningless -- what's really important are their values.

I guess I'm old-fashioned, but I still believe that the point of an election is to try to figure out who is going to do the best job as president.

If I may use an extended metaphor: This country is a very sick patient. The illness stems from the malpractice of the last guy we hired to take care of us. We rehired him based on his values. Or because the other guy was a weenie. In any case, it certainly wasn't because of any on-the-job successes.

When I go to a doctor, I don't ask him about his religious affiliations or focus on whether or not I'd like to have a beer with him. Why? Because those concerns are utterly irrelevant.

The Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. circus is irrelevant to whether Barack Obama will be a successful president. Nobody seriously believes that Obama shares Wright's views. But the Clinton/ McCain gas-tax holiday is counterproductive policy -- it would exacerbate our oil addiction and increase revenue to countries that bankroll Islamic terrorists.

That is direct evidence that these two would make poor decisions as president. Obama's refusal to get on the pander-wagon is direct evidence that he would make good decisions as president.

Branden Frankel

Los Angeles

District failed to protect kids

Re "2 removed in school sex cases," May 7

This story shows just how inept the Los Angeles Unified School District is in protecting children. Your story says that a memo was written and sent to 11 senior officials and Supt. David L. Brewer as well as the seven-member school board in February 2007. Why didn't board members ask about the information in that memo? Ramon C. Cortines, senior deputy superintendent, said the memo "was not that explicit." The memo stated that the "LAPD is also investigating allegations that he [former Assistant Principal Stephen Thomas Rooney] had an unlawful sexual relationship with a minor." Just what part of this was not explicit enough?

The school board is a disgrace, and the staff of the school district can no longer be trusted to care for the welfare of children.

Terry Kennedy

Gardena



Shame on L.A. Unified. Did it learn nothing from the Catholic Church? Alleged child molesters should be fired, not transferred to other schools. These young people may be scarred forever because of the district's unforgivable conduct.

The ability of L.A. Unified's leaders to run a school district is continually being called into question by their own doing.

Johnny Nicoloro

West Hollywood

Help first, criticize later

Re "Regime unswayed by cyclone," May 6

Twenty-nine years running a relief agency have taught me this: First Lady Laura Bush was poorly served by her husband's advisors in complaining about the Myanmar generals' behavior while demanding they open up the country to U.S. officials and aid. That the aid will be generous, as it was after the Asian tsunami, there can be little doubt. But getting it there during the critical first week after such a major disaster is a function of the host government opening its doors.

The generals running Myanmar are much like North Korea's rulers -- criticism only exacerbates their paranoia and xenophobia. We could just as easily have delivered the aid to the beloved and respected king of Thailand and asked him to sponsor its delivery and reflagged our planes with the Thai royal insignia for a couple of weeks.

Richard M. Walden

President and CEO

Operation USA

Culver City



Laura Bush is quick to criticize the Burmese government for its failure to prepare for Tropical Cyclone Nargis. I hope she wasn't suggesting that they take the U.S. preparation for and response to Hurricane Katrina as a model for how things should be done.

Richard Pollard

Santa Monica

Birth control

Re "Debate grows with population," May 7

The population of the Philippines has increased 50% in less than 20 years, clearly exacerbating the food crisis there. Not long ago, the Philippines was an exporter of rice; today, it is one of the world's largest importers.

That too many women in the Philippines lack access to contraceptives is obvious. Sadly, this is true in much of the developing world. There are at least 200 million women in the world who want to space out or limit pregnancies but have no access to modern methods of contraception.

The United States was once a leader in helping to expand the availability of birth control, but under the Bush administration, we have gone backward. The administration's hostility to family planning has led to contraceptive shortages throughout the developing world. Even worse is the news that the U.S. is planning to stop providing contraceptive supplies in the Philippines at the end of this year. Given what's happening, that's irresponsible and shortsighted.

It's time for Congress to step up and reclaim the mantle of leadership by doubling the funding for international family planning programs to $1 billion next year. Such an investment will help buy security, stability and survival for families, communities and countries across the globe.

Brian E. Dixon

Vice President, Media and

Government Relations

Population Connection

Washington