Madeleine Albright

* Was there ever a presidential appointment that was more politically motivated than President Clinton’s of Madeleine Albright as secretary of State (Dec. 6)? There was the matter of payback to the gender coalition (the female vote), but possibly a great deal more.

Sen. Sam Nunn (D-Ga.) is, by my reckoning and others’, the most astute politician in Washington. Former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell, the third contender, is no small potatoes in Washington and international circles. It can be argued that Albright should not have even been on the same list as these two gentlemen.

A term as secretary of State might have set up either gentleman for a serious run at the White House in 2000. But that would mitigate the chances for Al Gore. Who, then, might be acceptable as secretary of State and be least likely to develop credentials and ambition for presidential office? In this context, our U.N. representative is a bright choice.

JULES BRENNER

Hollywood

* Clinton is assuming that being bipartisan is the same as being centrist. It is not. Choosing someone from the opposite party for an important post on your team serves only to fragment the executive branch. Sen. William S. Cohen, the Republican Clinton chose to head the Defense Department, will either become a lackey of the White House or a divisive figure representing Republican views on foreign policy. If Clinton wanted to prove his commitment to “a dynamic center,” he should have nominated a centrist Democrat, like Nunn.

So what are we in for in the next four years? We will see Albright outshining Cohen. I would not be surprised if Cohen decided to call it quits after the ’98 congressional elections, when the Republican Party (and GOP views on foreign policy) will have been validated.

JASON McNEILL

Mission Viejo

* It is about time that Clinton makes good on his 1992 campaign promise that his administration will be a mirror image of America. Asian Americans make up over 4% of America’s population but not a single one is in the top positions of the White House under Clinton.

Asian Americans are courted by the White House for expensive dinners, votes and dollars. Practically every voting-contributing ethnic group is represented in the top 50 positions of the administration, except for Asian Americans.

ANDREW KO