Readers React:  Carly Fiorina came off well at the debates, but Californians have seen her other side

To the editor: Parallels between GOP presidential debates and youthful dating memes help explain how Donald Trump has led initial polls by large margins. (“Fiorina’s post-debate moment is just a start,” Sept. 18)

Early on in one’s dating years, one is looking more for flash and fun than substance and sobriety. That’s when momentary infatuations are indulged. The earnest search to find Mr. or Ms. Right can wait until one is prepared to enter a long-term commitment.

With the presidential primary season several months away, Trump’s provocative — and often hilarious — sound bites may play well for a while. Lack of demonstrated leadership potential won’t much matter until voters begin casting ballots that will shape their lives for at least the next four years. That’s when voters finally will focus on the cold, hard realities of candidates’ experience and qualities.

Moving from infatuation to long-term commitment tends to sharpen one’s judgment.

Devra Mindell, Santa Monica

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To the editor: Carly Fiorina is using loudmouth Trump’s comments about her appearance, but Californians have seen her other side.

It seems to me that she’s merely getting a bit of karmic payback for coming off as a shallow teenager when she referred (off the record) to Barbara Boxer’s hair as “so yesterday” during her failed attempt to unseat Boxer in the Senate campaign.

Too bad Fiorina isn’t savvy enough to assume that, in this day and age, a public figure in a public place is being recorded.

As far as I’m concerned, she can take a hike up Mt. Two-Faced Hypocrisy.

Carol Kohler, Agoura Hills

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To the editor: I think Fiorina came across as the sharpest of the candidates in last week’s debate. It’s a shame that her opponents harp about the fact that she is divorced and that she was fired from Hewlett-Packard. Let’s put the past behind us.

I do however, need a bit of clarification on her statement that she would stop negotiating with Russian President Vladimir Putin and would “beef up the U.S. military and send troops to Europe to signal a harder line.”

As inept as President Obama has been portrayed, I believe he has not spoken to Putin in quite some time. Also, I believe our current active duty military and U.S. military aircraft figures surpass that of Russia.

So, by how much would she beef up our military and at what cost? And where would the additional beef-up funds come from?

Owen Keavney, Pomona

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To the editor: Poor Fiorina. She did well in the debates, so she automatically became the latest target for The Times. Let the negative reporting continue for Republican candidates.

Jim Schieldge, Arcadia

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To the editor: As I read the front-page article, I kept waiting to read the part about Fiorina’s untruths about Planned Parenthood videos or her promised early phone call as president to Iran’s supreme leader.

Instead, all I got was how this once-afterthought candidate was the “hands-down” winner of the GOP debate. Whatever happened to fact-checking and holding candidates accountable?

Alan Segal, San Diego