Veep Choices, Gore’s Style

* Whatever happened to the progressive idea of a woman and/or minority vice president being chosen in the 2000 elections? This idea was touted by both the Democrats and Republicans during the primaries. Was this just part of the sales plan to add a level of excitement in the debate? Notice that now there is zero talk about a woman or a minority even being considered.

Well, all except for Ralph Nader. He was somehow able to find an ethnic American woman to serve, Winona LaDuke. But, of course, it’s not like it’s that hard to find. We are intelligent enough to go to school, raise families, work full time and even be CEOs. But VP . . . oooh, that would be way too hard for us. All I see is “Help wanted, VP position, white males only need apply.”

MARTHA VAN ROOIJEN

Los Angeles

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Re “The Candidates and How They Govern,” July 16: Edwin Chen paints Al Gore as “an unusually difficult man to advise because he often is, or believes he is, the smartest, most prepared and best informed person in the room.” Scary, if true, in a president, but not true about Gore.

Gore’s mastery of complex issues comes precisely from the opposite direction. He was my boss on the White House project to reinvent government, and he made it clear to all of us on the staff that he was not the expert and he expected us to tell him when he was wrong--which we all did with enthusiasm.

BOB STONE

Westwood