John McCain

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is the only presidential candidate from either party whom I can truly respect. While the rest of the candidates are chasing the big bucks from corporations and other moneyed interest groups and weaving and waffling their way through the primaries handing out sound bites carefully crafted by their spin doctors, McCain speaks with truthful candor on the issues.

Nowhere is this more evident than on campaign finance reform. He knows that this is at the heart of restoring credibility to the American political process and putting control back into the hands of citizens, where it belongs. The importance of this issue can hardly be overstated. It is the excessive influence of corporations and other moneyed interest groups that has disenfranchised the average American, prevented reasoned debate on critical issues, from health care, global warming and misapplied tax revenue to pork-barrel schemes.

Even business executives are tiring of the arm-twisting by money-hungry politicians and are recognizing the need for reform and are supporting it. To their credit, many legislators also support reform, but congressional leadership is doing everything it can to prevent effective action.

PAUL W. ROSENBERGER

Manhattan Beach

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The Republicans have some outstanding candidates for the presidency who could well represent the best interests of the American people. McCain and Elizabeth Dole come to mind. Too bad we will never really know or have a fair chance to make our opinions count. The money interests have already bought and paid for their man.

ROBERT W. HOMAN

Manhattan Beach

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Wanting to make a statement to congressional Republicans about their self-serving denials of campaign finance reform, I’ll be voting in the primary for McCain.

JULES BRENNER

Hollywood