Standing Up for Hillary Clinton

Regarding Robin Abcarian’s column “A Few Surprises on the First Lady Front” (Oct. 2), about the relative popularity of Hillary Clinton and Elizabeth Dole: Abcarian could have mentioned the effect of millions upon millions of dollars spent by Republicans and their health care backers on TV ads demonizing Hillary since 1992.

Hillary’s crime? The audacity of wanting to get universal health coverage for all U.S. citizens--something the other industrialized nations of the world have had for decades. It is amazing how voters can be easily manipulated into voting against their own interests.

Elizabeth Dole is a fine and capable person. But so is Hillary Clinton, who did her best in trying to do what is right for the poorest of our citizens. She did it against the wishes of big business and paid the price for it. She should certainly be admired for that.

JAMES R. GALLAGHER

Huntington Beach