Readers React: It takes more doing homework to be president

Jonah Goldberg’s suggestion is that to run for president, a candidate needs to prepare by memorizing things such as the names of government agencies and nations of the world, with their capitals and leaders. (“Advice for GOP presidential candidates: Do your homework,” Opinion, June 2)

This nation should settle only for an educated candidate who learned these things in school as a youngster and hasn’t forgotten them. Makes one wonder what else they don’t know.

Elizabeth Thompson

Coronado

Goldberg faults Texas Gov. Rick Perry for failing to remember during the 2012 presidential campaign one of the three federal government agencies he would have eliminated. This misses the point.

I often think of something I need to do inside while working in the garage but forget what it is when I walk into the house. Fortunately, I usually remember within a short time.

The real problem with candidates like Perry is not that they don’t remember, but rather that they don’t know things such as that the voting age in the U.S. is 18. This is sheer ignorance. They can tell you everything about the 2nd Amendment, but ask them about the 26th and they don’t have a clue.

America deserves better.

Steve Grimm

Fountain Valley

Goldberg’s column about the cavalier attitude some GOP presidential hopefuls have about doing their homework includes a reference to Herman Cain, who he says is “smart enough to be president.” Goldberg reminds us of Cain’s reference to the state of Uzbekistan as “Ubeki-beki-beki-beki-stan-stan.”

Perhaps Goldberg might consider raising his standards when it comes to assessing the intelligence quotients of would-be presidents.

Ian Ogilvy

Los Angeles