Boy’s Check

President Clinton just proved there is no heart in his body. He received a $1,000 check from a child who was concerned with the size of the national debt (Feb. 23). Instead of blushing in shame at the thought of taking such shameful advantage of a well-meaning, credulous boy, who is clearly unfamiliar with the ways of the world and the porcine spending habits of Washington politicians, he accepted the gift.

Mark Twain dubbed politicians “America’s only native criminal class.” For Clinton to “forget” the special interest nonsense behind our deficit and accept this boy’s payment is unconscionable. Have we forgotten the Keating Five and the S&L; scandal already? Americans should be crying “Thief! Fraud! Scoundrel!” at Clinton. Instead, we hear only what Clinton’s staff of PR drones pump into the pressrooms. Shame on you, Mr. President.

MIMI KOTNER, San Diego