Times Endorsements: GOP’s Not in the Room

Re “Ballot Recommendations,” editorial, Oct. 20: The remarkable 100% turnout and 100% vote for Saddam Hussein in Iraq last week and a count of paper ballots in 12 hours seems highly unlikely for a supposed democratic election. The 100% Democratic Party recommendations for all eight state officeholders and the 100% retention of the 19 state judicial incumbents, as found in The Times, also seems like an unlikely set of recommendations for a supposedly objective newspaper.

That all current officeholders are the best available individuals for all state offices and courts is, at best, remarkable. I don’t care to think about the worst possibilities.

Fred Knirk

San Pedro

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My decision on whom to vote for as the next governor of California was still undecided. However, Gov. Gray Davis showing how gutless he really is in not releasing Jerilyn Becker (“Davis Denies Parole for Model Inmate Jailed 22 Years in Killing,” Oct. 19) has, in effect, etched my vote in stone for Bill Simon.

John Kane

Tarzana

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Re “Ex-Enron Trader Admits Rigging Energy Market,” Oct. 18: Isn’t it about time everyone got off of Davis’ back and got into his corner? The governor stood up to these admitted criminals and was attacked from all sides for losing the battle. But it looks like he is going to win the war -- and the winner is going to be the California taxpayer, who had to fund the criminals’ illegal practices in the first place. “Vice President Dick Cheney suggested California was to blame” tells me it’s time to send a message to the Bush administration: Vote the governor back into office in a landslide. He fought for us and he was right.

Edward Saade

Poway