Sen. Kerry Has Got to Start Swinging

Re “If Only Kerry Were From the Bronx,” Commentary, Sept. 14: How I wish that Robert Scheer had stayed in his old neighborhood in the Bronx. Then we wouldn’t have to listen to him try to convince us that John Kerry might really do a better job as president than his campaign would lead us to believe. For those of us who desperately hoped for a viable alternative to George Bush, the bumbling effort of Team Kerry has cut through us like, well, the Cross-Bronx Expressway sliced into Scheer’s hometown. Call it street smarts, or the vision thing, or whatever you like, Kerry doesn’t have it, and that’s why he won’t win in November.

John A. D’Elia

Burbank

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To those who have influence with Kerry: Tell him that this is far less about him than it is about the future of the country. He wanted to get into this fight for the presidency; in my opinion, fools in the Democratic Party gave him the nod, so now he’s got it and I think it’s time to show us he wants it enough to start fighting for it. If he loses, we all lose. If it were possible to give him a swift kick where it would do some good, I wouldn’t hesitate. In case he doesn’t know it, this is serious business!

Jim Steeves

Albuquerque

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Kudos to Francine Prose on her article about reading and our rights (Commentary, Sept. 13). Is not reading the way to become an informed electorate in a democracy? I’m fearful that too many Americans will not read the Democratic and Republican platforms before they vote. They will choose a president based only on TV ads, personal appearances and rhetoric style rather than reading about the real issues.

Erika Pogrund

Huntington Beach