Clinton Scandal

Richard N. Goodwin’s article, “It’s All Entertaining, but It’s Not Politics” (Commentary, July 17), says that the Monica Lewinsky matter “has nothing to do with politics. . . . But it gives the media the chance to talk about sex.”

His viewpoint is shallow and here’s why. The presence of the “entertainment” factor does not logically negate the opinion of million of Americans who think that the deportment and character of a president’s public persona should be a model that projects our society’s higher moral aspirations and contributes to the respect for the office as well as the country. One can disagree with the critics of President Clinton on this matter and still admit that an important public issue--the role of the president (i.e., politics)--is before us.

RICK J. PENNER

Silverlake

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I concur completely with Goodwin’s opinion that this elaborate investigation into a president’s sex life is a parody of our legal process.

Perhaps Congress should extend the “don’t ask, don’t tell, don’t pursue” gays in the military policy to include all heterosexuals in public service as well.

Everyone, even presidents and interns, should have a legally protected zone of consensual sexual privacy beyond the purview of the sex police.

MARSHAL A. PHILLIPS

Los Angeles

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Surely, Secret Service agents who travel with the president and are willing to take a bullet for him should be afforded the same privacy privileges as attorneys who are only willing to take their clients for a ride.

DAVID WILCZYNSKI

Redondo Beach

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I never thought I’d agree with James Pinkerton, but his July 16 column in which he castigated late-night comics Bill Maher and Jay Leno for making cruel jokes about Linda Tripp’s appearance hit the spot. Perhaps these lazy bully boys should concentrate on Tripp’s deeds rather than her less-than-supermodel looks. Or maybe they should just look in a mirror; they are not so perfect themselves.

CONNIE RAMBALDI

Commerce

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So now we’ve resorted to the public image defense? Your honor, my client Linda Tripp is not guilty of a Maryland state law prohibiting unauthorized tapings because she is fat. Gimme a break.

Fat people succeed all the time in our society. Just ask Oprah Winfrey. Or Rush Limbaugh. She’s being investigated because of a violation of criminal law, not because she’s fat and ugly. No need to get worked up over some wisecrack Leno came up with.

BENJAMIN KUO

Arcadia

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How can the United States of the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s, with its private and public codes of ethics, even entertain the idea of probing anyone’s personal life? As a taxpayer I strongly, no, vehemently, resent the expenditures by Starr and his cronies on this inane investigation. That’s my money going for all the wrong purposes. It is none of our business what even a president does in his personal, private life. Lay off! Get lost!

ROBERT C. LUTES

Temple City

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Shouldn’t it count for something that $25 million and 5,000 subpoenas ago Starr gave up on Whitewater and set out for Pepperdine?

MITCHELL TENDLER

San Diego