Bill Clinton

Re Roger W. Johnson’s “Don’t Fence Him In With Old Ideologies,” Commentary, Oct. 23:

You are correct, Mr. Johnson, Bill Clinton is the consummate politician. He is whatever he has to be to win an election. Therein lies the despicable truth about Clinton. There is nothing there. No substance. He doesn’t approach issues based on ideology because he doesn’t believe in anything. He has no convictions, other than “I really want to be the president.”

PATRICIA A. DIETZ

Rosamond

* There’s an old saying in law enforcement that goes, “What you know won’t get you in trouble, it’s what you don’t know but think you know that will get you.” That saying came to mind as I read Gary Carlo’s article (Commentary, Oct. 22).

With respect to the Fraternal Order of Police’s endorsement of President Clinton, Carlo states that the endorsement was “voted on by a legislative committee mostly handpicked by Gallegos.” Wrong, Mr. Carlo. The endorsement was voted on by the National Board of Trustees of the Fraternal Order of Police, who are elected by the members and serve as the rank and file’s representatives on the board.

With respect to the actual vote, Carlo states, “Even with the deck stacked in his favor, Clinton could garner only a plurality of the 41 votes cast.” Wrong again. Clinton received almost two-thirds of the votes cast, Bob Dole just over one-third.

GILBERT G. GALLEGOS

National President

Fraternal Order of Police

Washington