Readers React: Republicans, remember when Trump said McCain wasn’t really a war hero?

To the editor: Scott Jennings raised some good points in his analysis of the extraordinary loyalty that Republicans have for President Trump. It seems that the Democratic leadership may have been unaware of the the loathing many Republicans had for Hillary Clinton or took for granted some of the voters away from the coasts.

I must take issue with Jennings’ statement that Republicans got angrier “as a succession of honorable leaders — George W. Bush, Mitt Romney, John McCain — were portrayed by the media as stupid, feeble or criminal.”

Perhaps Jennings forgot when Trump said McCain wasn’t really a war hero and that “I like people who weren’t captured.” The media may have criticized the policies of these politicians, but in general they did not criticize their heroism or personal life.

Like the vast wealth that he inherited from his father, Trump inherited a robust economy and a country that undeniably leads the world. A true test of his professed abilities hinges on his ability to maintain this admirable status during the remaining years of his presidency.

Jonathan Kaunitz, Santa Monica

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To the editor: Thanks for running Jennings’ explanation of how Trump, for all his painfully obvious shortcomings, will enjoy GOP voters’ near-unanimous support for his reelection.

To be sure, I’m not impressed by Jennings’ ends-justify-means take. But I plan to share his revealing article with anyone who expresses the least inclination to vote for a third-party candidate in 2020.

Had just half of two key states’ third-party votes in 2016 been diverted to Hillary Clinton, we would have been spared Trump’s destructive reign. Progressives need to stop wasting votes on unelectable third-party candidates and unite against the existential threat that Trump’s reelection would pose.

If conservatives like Jennings can favor cynical pragmatism over purist idealism, so should progressives.

P. Jane Weil, Sacramento

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To the editor: Jennings is very insightful in his analysis of why I will never quit Trump.

The president is strong enough, bold enough and crazy enough to beat the elitist media and any Democrat challenging him. Trump is fearless at working to protect American workers and fighting to secure our southern border.

Lower taxes, fewer regulations, respect for the American flag and the appointment of conservative judges are just a few of the policies that Trump supporters love. The strong economy is a winner for us all.

Gloria Simms, Winnetka

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To the editor: Jennings’ piece seems to reflect an ongoing Republican nihilism. Let the environment decay, governments worldwide slide into right-wing neo-fascism and the U.S. retreat from leadership in world affairs — because you are mad at the Clintons?

My parents’ generation had a rather ugly phrase for this attitude: cutting off your nose to spite your face. What a legacy for the Republicans, or should I now refer to them as the Trumpists.

Joseph Highcove, Woodland Hills

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