How we see Obama

Re “The smokin’ president,” Opinion, June 18

I know the article was tongue-in-cheek, but the premise illustrates an important point: A large part of the country sees what it wants to see in President Obama. The rest of us see something different.

They see “date night” on Broadway. We see an otherwise charming example of taxpayer abuse. They see a visionary new leader who promises to create a new and more caring government. We see our fellow citizens duped into a creeping encroachment of their freedoms by their idolatry for a glamorous leader.

Believe me, many of us have no problem believing Barack Obama is quite human. And if a cigarette could break the unfortunate enchantment the rest of you are under, I would for the first time give thanks that someone lighted up.

Chris Ross

Redlands

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Have you taken leave of your senses? I know it’s supposed to be satire, but these kind of columns are the reason newspapers are dying. When you elevate a mere mortal to a pedestal, you lose your ability to critically evaluate his performance, a necessary check for every functioning democracy.

Kaveri Subrahmanyam

Pacific Palisades