Jeb Bush’s Memory Lapses During Recount

Re “Jeb Bush’s Recount Role Examined,” July 14: Well, there goes the old adage that elephants never forget. Since The Times’ writers have started questioning the 95 calls from the Florida governor’s office to various GOP members after Jeb Bush recused himself, it seems that Jeb, Randy Enwright, Mindy Tucker, et al., seem to be suffering from some new sort of malady, “selective memory syndrome.” Do they really think the public is that dumb and is going to buy this?

But Jeb is able to clearly remember his Thanksgiving dinner conversation with Frank Jimenez (his legal counsel who was working on the recount at the time), right down to Marvin the dog and Sugar the cat. And he remembers “we ate turkey with a chipotle-laced stuffing that was awesome.” Apparently selective memory syndrome is only contagious within the GOP. The rest of Florida should not have to worry about this syndrome, especially as it draws closer to brother Jeb’s reelection.

Wanda Rudd

Long Beach

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I am trying to figure out where the news content is in your article on Jeb Bush’s phone calls during the election controversy. Did the news relate to chipotle-laced stuffing or Sugar the cat? Hard-hitting stuff! I suppose, somehow, in The Times’ view, these meaningless details relating to Jeb Bush’s phone use and eating habits cast a cloud of illegitimacy over the Bush presidency. I’d swear I remember the election ending six months ago.

Glenn Suarez

Redondo Beach

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Re “Absentee Vote Did It for Bush,” July 15: Are you serious?

Even if one calls the effort to stimulate absentee voting in Florida fair, the process of getting votes counted or thrown out was compromised by Republicans and the judiciary upheld it. Despite assurances from President Bush’s spokespersons about people having “moved on,” voters are not likely to forget this travesty.

Barry S. Naiditch

San Diego

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I must thank Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas (July 14) for clarifying an issue. Here I thought it was the actions of the Supreme Court during the election that “cheapened and trivialized” the process. I know now that it was I, along with many others who vocalized their feelings about the court’s conduct, who sullied the process. Hopefully Thomas will continue to speak out against injustice (at least outside the court) in the future.

Paul Stowitts

San Dimas