FBI Files Controversy

Re “FBI Files Create Trail of Mystery, Political Fodder,” June 23:

It is apparent that journalists in general and your two writers in particular are unable to contain their glee in ostensibly finding something nefarious about the president and his staff that the public will finally understand. The subjective wording, implied innuendo, and know-it-all reporting style are naked attempts to create, embellish and sell a story where none exists. All of the known facts were already reported over two weeks ago with the proper acknowledgments, apologies and corrective measures made by the White House.

SUSAN M. COTTON

San Clemente

* President Clinton explained that the acquisition by a couple of sleazy operatives within his administration of perhaps as many as 1,000 personal FBI files on Republicans was a snafu, when in fact it is SOP (standard operating procedure).

One of many who has written about the unethical and immoral practices of the Clintons in Arkansas, Roger Morris, in his new book on the Clintons, “Partners in Power,” notes in passing that Betsey Wright, whom the Clintons met in 1972, by the 1992 campaign was “entrusted to guard his most personal and redolent Arkansas files as well as to compile dossiers to discredit knowledgeable local critics” (Page 155). Sadly, some things never change.

PATRICIA McCARTHY

Burbank

* The Republicans have picked a well-meaning but weak and aged candidate to run for president. Their position needs all the boost it can get. They are digging as deep as they must to come up with the dirt that will discredit President Clinton. It is sad for the country that a man who has done an excellent job being president should be dragged in the mud and should have to justify every act past, present and future.

Yes, mistakes have been made by those around him and some by him and his wife. Whitewater is not all black and white, and the FBI files would have been better off outside the White House. But every politician has a past and the very nature of the political beast is made of deals and compromises that seem harmless until they are projected on the mega-screen of public scrutiny. Magnifying each incident surrounding the Clintons is the only way the Republicans can hope to discredit a good man.

BETTY ZENTALL

Laguna Hills

* I’m wondering what would have happened (or be happening now) if the Republicans weren’t in control of the Congress. My fear is that those files would have been used endlessly to smear everybody the Clintons didn’t like. A Democratic Congress would stonewall everything and allow a smear campaign to end all smear campaigns (leaks to the media together with backup), leaving the Republicans wondering what was hitting them and the Democrats sweeping to victory in ’96.

One could similarly speculate what would have happened during Watergate if the Democrats had not been running the Congress back then. I suspect the Republicans would have successfully killed the whole deal (just a third-rate burglary) and we’d have had “four more years.”

I don’t think the media are properly angry about this. This is an attempt to rig the 1996 election, just like Watergate was an attempt to rig the ’72 election.

HOWARD VEIT

Los Angeles

* Although they claim to be light years apart in political philosophy, the cast of characters who make up the Republican and Democratic parties have, for the past 30 years, had one thing in common. Most of them have been totally lacking in character.

PAUL P. DuPLESSIS

Diamond Bar

* Dole is clearly in the right: Most of the current administration ideas are borrowed or stolen from Republicans. Where else would mere Democrats get the notion of using a government agency to check on political opponents? This plan and other “White House horrors” are purloined, and should be restored to their unrightful owners.

DENIS HICKEY

Whittier