Senate Hearings

Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) claimed that China wanted “to subvert our election process” (July 9) but he would not give the American public the details. Isn’t that frighteningly like Sen. Joe McCarthy’s list of communists in the government and the Army and Richard Nixon’s secret plan to end the war in Vietnam?

PAUL H. WANGSNESS

Burbank

I agree in part with Sen. Joseph Lieberman’s (D-Conn.) comment about the selling of America’s democracy; however, not all Americans are guilty. The “for sale” sign was draped over Bill Clinton’s back. Perhaps it would be a good idea if we allow Nicaragua or Mexico to monitor our next election.

MARLENE MORENO THORSON

Alhambra

Your July 9 edition featured three photographs each of Sens. John Glenn (D-Ohio) and Thompson. In each instance, Democrat Glenn looks studious and thoughtful, pleasant and paternal. Conversely, Republican Thompson appears gruff, quarrelsome, obstinate, bellicose and harried. The photo editor of the Democratic National Committee couldn’t have done a better job. Incidentally, the accompanying news stories were superb.

JOHN BRODHEAD

La Canada

If elected officials, especially at the White House, sold foreign policy in exchange for campaign funds, surely they must be exposed and run out of office. I fail to see, however, why the fact that Vice President Al Gore attended a fund-raising luncheon at a Buddhist temple is of any relevance to the issue (July 11). I am sure Gore attended plenty of fund-raising events, with all sorts of groups, at any number of venues.

To stigmatize the Buddhist temple visit, mentioning it along with reports of obvious wrongdoings, is not only insulting to Americans of the Buddhist faith, it perpetuates bigotry of the worst kind, the kind that assumes that to be a real American one must be white and belong to a Christian church. The Times should know better than to fuel the already raging fires of racism and prejudice.

LAURENCE M. HAUBEN