Powell Candidacy

* Re “Letter From Powell Ends Sit-In at Park,” Dec.19:

Now that Colin Powell has ended CaShears’ Leimert Park vigil by faxing him a letter reiterating his resolve not to run for public office in 1996, he should send the same message to Sen. Bob Dole, who is evidently pinning all of his presidential ambitions on the hope that the general will jump on his bandwagon as his running mate (Dec.18).

ALAN TOY

Santa Monica

* As a final straw, Dole has the unmitigated gall to attempt to enlist the name of Colin Powell--as a possible second to him-- in support of his obviously failing campaign as a presidential candidate.

If Gen. Powell has a “call to duty,” it is, succinctly, to distance himself from the political fakery of Dole and like affinities and to demonstrate, as his decision “not to run” clearly identifies, that the extant political climate is not for him. As Dole epitomizes it: It stinks!

DON PERLEY