Readers React: Don’t call it a comeback. Hillary has been here for years.

To the editor: Debates obviously have a role in defining candidates and their stances, but their primary function is to allow Americans to see which one candidate is truly presidential.
(“Democrats make their case for 2106,” Oct 14, and “Clinton wins the debate,” Opinion, Oct. 14)

This comes about more in mannerism, demeanor and style than policy ideas.

Hillary Rodham Clinton was very presidential in this week’s Democratic presidential debate.

John Reed, Hemet

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To the editor: Democrats versus Republicans.

Class versus crass.

Marcia Goodman, Long Beach

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To the editor: I’m a fan of Bernie Sanders. He personifies a deep-seated, repressed anger held by many Americans against the rich and powerful who manipulate the government, and against Republican obstructionism.

But he is a one-trick pony, although a necessary one to force Clinton to get tough.

And she responded brilliantly, seizing the stage with all the right answers, no stumbles and looking and acting very presidential.

Alan Segal, San Diego

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To the editor: I think Clinton was embarrassed and looked bad several times during the debate — most importantly when Sanders and others managed to show she had no intention of dealing with Wall Street opportunists or the issue of money controlling politics.

Substantive change is what people want, and no amount of “analysis” from The Times is going to help the business-as-usual politicians like Clinton.

This is also why newcomers such as Donald Trump and Sanders get more and more popular every time the media try to knock them down.

Richard Keeling, Torrance

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To the editor: The Democrats sorted themselves out quickly during the debate: Sanders came off as the wise old man on the mountaintop shouting truths; Jim Webb was grouchy; Lincoln Chaffee sadly lost his center on two occasions; Clinton and Martin O’Malley exhibited executive gravitas.

After the Republicans’ Trump carnival, the Democrats discussed national issues in a civilized manner that revived my hope for a dignified, issues-based presidential campaign.

Jacqueline Kerr, Los Feliz

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To the editor: Thanks for a civilized, educated debate concentrated on real issues in which debaters showed respect for one another.

Margie Ruscica, Thousand Oaks

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To the editor: I happened to tune in to the opening of the Democratic candidates’ debate to see it start like a movie awards show, hyped for a week by CNN and with commercials. In short, it was entertainment produced solely to make money and garner ratings.

What a scam. Aren’t these things supposed to be broadcast as a public service?

Joe Bonino, Glendale

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To the editor: After the debate, all the networks started telling me who won.

I wanted to scream, and to tell them that the American people won — in that we finally got to hear serious issues taken up rather than candidates personally attacking one another and telling lies about Planned Parenthood.

Dennis Grossman, Woodland Hills

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To the editor: Sanders is right: The greatest threat in the world today is global warming.

It threatens our survival. Everything else pales when global extinction of life is finally recognized as a possibility and our window of opportunity to reverse global warming is closing.

Gerald Staack, Santa Clarita

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To the editor: The consensus is that Clinton won the debate, but her presidency would not be for needed change. She is the consummate insider, bought and paid for by big-money donors, Wall Street and the military/industrial complex.

Norman A. Gottlieb, North Hills

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