Barbara Boxer

Coming out of the East with the dubious distinction of having managed the most inept political campaign within recent memory (Michael Dukakis’ 1988 bid for the presidency), Susan Estrich has settled in Los Angeles and fancies herself an authority on California politics. Unfortunately, the local media seem to accept her own opinion of herself.

In her column about the open race for the U.S. Senate (Opinion, Nov. 10), Estrich makes a clumsy pitch for Rep. Mel Levine (D-Los Angeles) over Rep. Barbara Boxer (D-Greenbrae) on the strange grounds that there’s another woman running for the other Senate seat. “The argument to vote for a candidate because she is a woman has to be made subtly . . . especially if voters are convinced the woman is less qualified,” states Estrich. I know of no one other than Estrich who is intimating that the women involved might be less qualified than the men.

What real feminists are looking for are qualified candidates of either gender who will promote equality and justice, to replace unqualified officeholders at every level of government who promote nothing but themselves. Boxer’s record in Congress speaks eloquently for her: Estrich’s record does not do the same for her.

COLLETTE NORTH, Los Angeles