A VP candidacy is scarcely an insult

Re “It’s one issue that remains a focus,” March 13

The Times does nothing more than throw fuel on a political fire with this article.

According to the Rev. Eugene Rivers, Hillary Rodham Clinton’s suggestion that Barack Obama could join her on the ticket as her running mate is an insult to blacks, as if the candidate had been asked to sit in the back of the bus.

That’s one way to read it, if one is a narrow-minded racist.

Other people might see it as asking Obama to possibly become the first (half) black vice president of the United States. Not a bad option for a fairly inexperienced, (half) black politician.

To suggest that black voters would stay home and not vote unless he wins the Democratic nomination is inflammatory at best.

Would black voters really want to hand the election to the Republicans? Would they really want another four to eight years of the same?

Richard Arnold

West Hollywood

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I have taught courses in American government and politics for about 30 years. I think I know something about almost all our past presidential campaigns, but I don’t care one bit whether Geraldine Ferraro’s suggestion that Obama has done so well as a presidential candidate because he is black is accurate.

Far more interesting is what her statement should make us all remember. Throughout American history, race and gender have played major roles in the campaigns of every major contender for president. Not one, from any party, would have done so well in his quest for high office had he not been a white man.

James Mamer

Modjeska Canyon

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Obama did not get to where he is because he is black; he got where he is in spite of being black. Hillary Clinton would not be where she is if she were not the wife of Bill Clinton.

Arthur and

Bette Shapero

North Hills