Hart’s Withdrawal From the Presidential Campaign

Gary Hart (whom I do not support) withdrew from the circus that is supposed to pick the “best man” for a country that is going to be running $500 billion in the red by the early 1990s and has the military capability to turn most of the world into glass within approximately 35 minutes; has 50,000 or more homeless people on its streets, and is faced with the greatest competitive, trade and societal challenges in its history. Of course, the Hart campaign was actually trying to talk about issues, like “where are we going as a country?” I guess that was just too intellectual for the press, or for the rest of the country. We just can’t be bothered. After all, it’s summer; there’s the beach.

Today we have been disgraced as Americans; we have allowed a man who has a lot to contribute (whether he won the presidency or not) to be railroaded out of the debate by “reporters” whose interest is a headline (or a book, “How I Got Gary Hart”).

Today I can understand why the ancient Romans restricted their citizenship. Thomas Jefferson said, “We must dream of an aristocracy of achievement arising out of a democracy of opportunity.” This day, all I can see is self-indulgent pundits wallowing in a cesspool of public slime.

Let us hope God preserves this republic, because between the government and the press we certainly don’t seem to be capable of doing so.

CLIFF MARTIN

Hollywood