Letters: Feb. 19, 2007

A Crowded Field Hits the Campaign Trail

The 2008 U.S. presidential race is off to an early start, with many fresh, diverse contenders entering the marathon to the White House. Readers stressed the importance of a concrete agenda to clear the toughest hurdle--how to handle Iraq--as they anticipate a historic dash to the finish

All the candidates, regardless of party affiliation, should know something about the next 648 days [Feb. 5]. They will be rejected if they engage in the personal attacks and name calling that we have witnessed in past elections. We need realistic solutions to the real problems. They should fire their campaign managers and speechwriters if all they want to do is tear down the other candidates or propose pie-in-the-sky nostrums that haven't a prayer of becoming law. We want character and intelligence. Otherwise, they should drop out now and save us all a lot of irritation.

WANDA JONES San Francisco

TIME is already reporting on the 2008 presidential race? What's next, a March issue about Christmas? Considering your dubious success rate with prognostication--such as the severity of the Y2K problem and the prospect for Howard Dean's presidential bid--you should either leave the fortune telling to others or upgrade your crystal ball.

JOE FRANK Scottsdale, Ariz.

Why can't the U.S., a great nation of 300 million people, produce any impressive presidential candidates with real opinions, true leadership qualities and world-class stature?

JEAN DEROUGE Gainesville, Fla.

President George W. Bush has lowered the standard of the presidency so much that everyone feels qualified to hold the office.

BABAK ROBOUBI Chevy Chase, Md.

We should be opposed in principal to a legacy presidency. European settlers in the New World risked life, limb and fortune to escape the monarchies that held power within the royal families. The Adamses, Harrisons, Roosevelts and Bushes have given us ample experience with all-in-the-family presidencies. With the notable exception of the Roosevelts, legacy Presidents have been mediocre. There are plenty of qualified candidates in the race with names other than Clinton or Bush. Let's elect one of them next year.

CRAIG CRANSTON Williamsburg, Va.

Much has been made of recent polls showing that among black voters Hillary Clinton is favored by a large margin over Barack Obama. The (mostly white) talking heads have twisted themselves into knots trying to explain it. Let me help them out. We in the black community know full well that not enough white Americans will go into the voting booth and pull the lever for a black man to be the President, so we don't want to throw our votes away on an underdog black candidate. And 90% of black voters do not vote Republican because, while we might not always know who is for us, we definitely know who is against us.

VERNON S. BURTON San Leandro, Calif.