Presidential, Pardon?

My wife and I share Mary McNamara’s enthusiasm for “The West Wing” (“Toward a More Perfect President,” Feb. 27). We particularly appreciated her suggestion that Richard Schiff (who portrays Toby Ziegler) speak up. We can’t understand him much of the time either, but we thought it was because we are seniors and don’t hear as well as we used to.

We also have trouble understanding Rob Lowe and Janel Moloney and sometimes Brad Whitford, mostly because they, like Schiff, insist on speaking so rapidly and permit no pauses in the dialogue. However, Allison Janney, John Spencer and especially Martin Sheen speak clearly, at least to our ears.

The too-rapid dialogue may be what Aaron Sorkin orders, but it certainly diminishes our enjoyment of the series.

ROSS AMSPOKER

Palmdale

*

Bravo, Mary McNamara, for pointing out that “the scattershot mix of reruns and new episodes does not work” and that the “forward-forward-back-back programming lends an air of dementia to the viewing experience.”

I am one of the demented viewers, and being mad as hell, am about to boycott network TV for their current programming style--or lack of thereof. I don’t care what the reasons are, whether it’s because new episodes cost more to make or reruns are more profitable (which is really the bottom line, isn’t it?). With all the money the networks and execs make, they can’t come up with a better plan? Or is it a plan to drive us all crazy?

SHERRY STEVENS

Pacific Palisades

*

McNamara had it almost right: The blonds are OK with me.

JIM GARDNER

Rancho Mirage

*

The level of detail in McNamara’s advice to “West Wing” creator Aaron Sorkin was amazing. But when she starts giving advice to characters, I have to wonder. She seems to be suffering from presidementia, a disorder of the brain that causes the deterioration of intellectual faculties and a fixation with anything presidential.

She clearly is not alone, what with all of the political shows nightly on cable and the “South Park” creators soon unleashing a new show, “That’s My Bush,” someone has to ask the question: Is there ever going to be an end to this obsession with the presidency?

In the last 10 years we had a novel and a film about a “fictitious” candidate for president (“Primary Colors”); a dreamy, unrealistic president (“The American President”); a president whose lifestyle leads to murder (“Absolute Power”); a crooked folk singer running for president (“Bob Roberts”); a president who fights hijackers on a stolen jet (“Air Force One”); a beautiful presidential staffer who is murdered (“Murder at 1600”); a president whose friends are murdered (“Clear and Present Danger”); an impostor president (“Dave”); a president who picks a controversial replacement for vice president (“The Contender”); four science-fiction presidents (‘Mars Attacks,” “Independence Day,” “Contact” and “Deep Impact”); a presidential widow and her secret serviceman (“Guarding Tess”); and also “Thirteen Days,” “JFK” and “Nixon.”

If McNamara and the fans of “West Wing” want to see an evil version of Martin Sheen as president, they should rent “The Dead Zone.” Just remember, it’s just a show. He’s just an actor. It’s just pretend.

MICHAEL T. JARVIS

Hollywood