Harman, Checchi Campaigns for Governor

I felt more sorrow than anger when I read of Rep. Jane Harman’s decision to avoid specifics before the election (April 17). What is the state of political discourse when a leading candidate for chief executive can practically boast about avoiding the issues as she spends millions of dollars to make herself a serious candidate? All she can offer is the rhetorical equivalent of “trust me” and her courageous support of prosperity, better schools and other motherhood-and-apple-pie issues.

It also makes her decision to enter the race at the last moment appear all the more cynical--a decision to stay below the political radar and avoid all scrutiny.

As for Al Checchi, I’d rather take his raft of proposals and an honest admission later that he won’t be able to implement all of them. At least he seems to stand for something.

JEFFREY M. OFGANG

Pasadena

* As a longtime U.S. history and government secondary public school teacher, I applaud Harman’s honesty. After listening to another candidate’s TV commercials making promises of a 10% cut in this and a 10% cut in that without a clue of how this cannot be done by the edict of the governor, Harman deserves great credit.

She has been in government for years, and she knows the governor of California is no CEO who can make commands for change.

How refreshing for a candidate for governor to be honest and state, “I can’t tell you the answers now.”

MARVIN SCHULMAN

Westwood

* Recently, I received a mailing from Checchi informing me that Harman has been “a lobbyist for Communist China.” Shades of Joe McCarthy and Tricky Dick. Red-baiting raises its ugly head again.

Perhaps Checchi, unaware of so many issues, never learned the pernicious history of this disgusting practice, of the thousands of lives ruined by such charges, the blacklist and other horrors. There is no room in the Democratic Party for this odious practice. Send it back to its natural home with the Republicans.

JOHN McCOY

Los Angeles

* In a new TV ad, Democratic presidential historian, Brooklyn Dodger fan and public television commentator Doris Kearns Goodwin endorses Checchi for governor.

Hmm. I wonder if this could mark a major change in political advertising. Could it mean that henceforth candidates will turn to eminent writers and artists for endorsement rather than to well-known politicians? Who says the new generation of candidates will continue to talk down to voters.

JOANNE GAMLIN

Santa Monica