Gary Hart’s Back in the ’88 Presidential Race

Some Hart adherents say, “It’s time to put aside the character stuff and deal with the important issues.” Huh? That’s impossible for character and issues are deeply interlocked.

Take, for example, the question of how to deal with debt--personal debt, national debt, whatever. All reports said Hart was settling many of his old campaign debts for as little as a dime for a dollar; some reports said pressure was applied to creditors to accept this.

So, think of the future scenario: A speech from the Oval Office, with great sincerity, beseeching all holders of U.S. bonds--whether American, Japanese, or otherwise--to turn in their bonds and get back one-tenth face value, thus being the brave new world participants in a truly “new idea.” And international economic war! Pipe dreams . . . and we can wonder what is in the pipe.

HAROLD S. SPEAR

Hermosa Beach