Sizing Up the Republican Convention

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger seems to believe that the people who say the economy is failing them are “girlie men.” I just want to make sure I understood his message.

Are the fathers and husbands who don’t have a job and can’t support their families anymore “girlie men,” or the people who had a job in 2000 and don’t now “girlie men”? Maybe it’s the people who lost a job and had to take two in its place for 30% less income who are “girlie men.”

Schwarzenegger is not only insensitive, he is ignorant. And the media give him accolades for that ridiculous speech? The answer to losing your job and home and family is not as simple as a line from a movie.

Benton Reed

Atlanta

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I used to think I was a progressive, but after listening to Schwarzenegger speak at the Republican National Convention, I discovered I’m a Republican. He said if you care about accountability of our government, you are a Republican. If you care about a strong economy, you are a Republican. If you care about family values, you are a Republican. If you care about keeping our country safe from terrorists, you are a Republican. Even if you don’t agree with everything this party stands for, you are a good Republican.

By golly, I’m not only a Republican, I’m a good Republican!

Carie Osburn

Duarte

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Re your Aug. 31 editorial on the national conventions: You say Dr. Freud would have had an easy time analyzing the militaristic theme of the Democratic convention. Freud also would have an easy time analyzing your rant against the diversity within the Republican Party, which you chose to headline “Two Faces of the GOP.” I think Freud would say that your editorial is frantically bellowing, “Yikes, the GOP might be on to something!”

Walt Lewis

Glendale

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Two faces of who? Don’t you think most people prefer the genuine, outspoken moderate/conservative speakers at the Republican National Convention to the phony, muzzled, far-left speakers at the Democratic National Convention?

Lorraine Kihm

Rancho Cucamonga

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President Bush is fond of saying he doesn’t second-guess himself. What does that mean? I’m afraid that’s just what you and I would call a reality check.

Testing your battle plans against the facts on the ground isn’t second-guessing; it’s sound strategy. Any decent commander would know that. Ignoring the changes that are happening all around you isn’t being steadfast; it’s just being arrogant. We have seen the price of arrogance on the part of this administration, and it’s much too high.

Frank Militello

Van Nuys

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Until this week, Bush has insisted that we can win the war on terror -- using preemptive strikes if necessary. In an interview with NBC at the beginning of this week, Bush explicitly said that we cannot win. Then the very next day, he reversed himself by declaring we could triumph. Which is it?

And amid this blatant flip-flopping, Bush is hailed as a war leader at the Republican National Convention. How does one explain this apparent inconsistency? The problem may be that the president didn’t have a prepared and approved script to rely on in the “Today” show interview. Did the truth slip out?

Dick Meis

Murrieta, Calif.

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The Republican platform is an open expression of the right wing that controls party policy. Yet, the prime-time broadcast from its convention is filled with centrist celebrity speakers, many of whom disagree with radical, mean-spirited parts of this platform. So, it seems appropriate that in the medley of Broadway show tunes that entertained delegates on the first night of their convention, “Razzle Dazzle” was included. This jazzy number from the show “Chicago” is all about how the public can be manipulated if they have “sequins in their eyes.” How ironic is that?

Barry Simon

Studio City

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Some delegates to the GOP convention have stooped to a new low. In another attempt to attack Sen. John Kerry’s service in Vietnam, the delegates are wearing small bandages with purple hearts on them. Not only is this an insult to Kerry, but it is an insult to any vet who served this country. But this should be expected from a party whose two nominees are quick to send our sons and daughters to war while they avoided it themselves.

Ronny K. Marshall

West Hollywood