Iran-Contra Hearings Look Inside the Administration

The most important lesson to be learned from this affair, in my view, is how we select our elected officials. A President, for example, should not be chosen in a personality contest based on his oratorical prowess, his adroit use of television or his ability to entertain. An election campaign must not be a contest between public relations experts and their gimmicks, but a time when Americans listen attentively, think carefully and assess a candidate on his or her vision of America and the means to attain it.

Waving a flag or holding a Bible guarantees neither patriotism nor spiritual depth. A basic moral precept has always been the end does not justify the means; it remains valid.

M.T. STOCK

Bellflower