Mrs. Clinton’s Book

I read Mike Downey’s column regarding Hillary Rodham Clinton and her book deal with Simon & Schuster (Dec. 20). He sounds like a rejected suitor, because he too cannot command such a huge advance. And he doesn’t deserve it because he “ain’t a big-league writer”!

He goes on to malign and abuse her as beholden to a New York corporation, since she now is the junior senator from New York. He then continues on about her “writing the book herself,” which implies stealth and deceit. And to finish his diatribe, he pillories her husband (who is still the president of the U.S. with an approval rating of 66%).

I think this article stinks to high heaven and is picayune and vituperative.

MONROE WEINSTOCK

Redondo Beach

* Hillary Clinton should give the $8-million book advance from her publishers back. However, there are two things that bother me more than the ethics of her accepting the advance from the publishers. Where are her ethics in writing about her husband’s downfall? Not only that, it is over. Why is it being kept alive? And, foremost, how could an ethical and moral wife do this to her husband? If she does this, it shows a far more serious character defect than accepting a book advance.

Where are our ethics if we buy her trash and read it?

BARBARA ROBINSON

Tustin