Ronald Reagan

Regarding Edmund Morris and his biography of Ronald Reagan:

To this day, even conservatives of considerable intellect have failed to present Reagan as anything other than what he was: the luckiest empty head ever to sit in the Oval Office--in other words, sheer proof that at certain times in American history, literally anyone can be president. The Reagan faithful now bash Morris and the fictional “device” of his work, as a way to protect their man. The Morris haters should keep this in mind: Like all very intelligent people, Morris realized that there was absolutely nothing to Reagan. Since Morris had to fulfill his writing assignment, he came up with a brilliant way to shed light onto a very dim bulb.

JOSEPH BRUTSMAN

Los Angeles

*

You put an objective observer in the Oval Office with complete and continuous access to the president so that he may write his biography and the result causes friends, family and followers to cry, “Fiction!” Well, I wasn’t the one in his presence, but the excerpts described by the author in recent interviews about Reagan’s personal aloofness and intellectual vacuity certainly ring true.

I did study the man, ever since he was president of the Screen Actors Guild and particularly after briefly meeting him on the Universal Pictures lot when he was campaigning for reelection to that post. The study continued throughout his governorship and presidency.

Affable? Certainly. Politically canny? Yes. Limited intellectually? Perfectly obvious.

JULES BRENNER

Hollywood

*

Re George Will’s Sept. 29 commentary: I’m from Dutch’s home town, Dixon, Ill., and we always called him Dutch. The mail and photos we received from him over the years were signed “Dutch.” After he left the White House, he sent us a photo with this handwritten salutation: “Dear John & Pat--My thanks to you, every good wish & very best regards. Sincerely--Ronald Reagan--’Dutch.’ ”

JOHN and PAT POPP

Palm Desert