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John Kerry is intelligent and rational and can think for himself [Feb. 9]. He has the conviction to stand up for what he believes in and the principles to take the right actions, including those necessary to ensure the safety and integrity of this nation. If I were in a fire fight, I would want him at my side, and that's more than I can say for anyone in the current Administration. I eagerly look forward to the leadership Kerry will bring to this country in January 2005.
REGAN GILL
Berkeley, Calif.

Kerry's lackluster years in the senate show that he would be the worst kind of President — drab, passive, waffling and doing whatever his liberal Democratic friends in Congress tell him to do.
DEX NILSSON
Huntsville, Ala.

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Kerry seems to be the acceptable choice of the Democratic establishment, but that's the problem. Kerry isn't credible as a true populist. Federal records show that he has taken more money from lobbyists than any other Senator over the past 15 years. Those facts only confirm what many of us feel: anybody but Kerry. The Democratic base is so stirred up about getting Bush out of office, it is in danger of losing its head over a relatively unexamined candidate who only claims to represent the true interests of the people. Despite what Kerry wants voters to think, he is not "the Real Deal."
DARCY CROSMAN
Richmond, Calif.

What kind of president would Kerry be? One of the best. As a thoughtful Democrat, he would bring jobs, health care and compassion into his Administration. And never underestimate the power of a woman. Teresa Heinz Kerry's understanding of many world problems, through her background and her fluency in five languages, would add a dimension to Kerry's presidency that is sadly lacking in Bush's military-industrial complex.
TRISH HOOPER
Portola Valley, Calif.

A John Kerry — John Edwards ticket would win not only my vote but also my confidence in a brighter future. George W. Bush is an honorable man doing his best, but he is one of the worst Presidents in modern history. In today's climate, America's President must be, above all else, a visionary and a diplomat of the highest order. Bush is neither. His my-way-or-the-highway attitude doesn't fit U.S. foreign-policy concerns or domestic issues. That's why I'm happy the Democratic Party finally seems to be getting its act together.
CHUCK KNOWLTON
Danville, Calif.

Senators rarely get elected president because their voting records are easy targets for the opposition. In the past 80 years, only one sitting Senator has been elected to the presidency: John F. Kennedy. While John Forbes Kerry may boast the same home state and initials, he is no Kennedy.
BRIAN W. EXNER
Santa Cruz, Calif.

Kerry's real-life experience and intelligence convince me that he will heal the damage done by the Bush Administration. If anybody is going to beat Bush, Kerry will. When he wants to improve something, Kerry doesn't just say he will do it. He gives a full explanation of how he will.
OLIVIA KUCHAR
Indiana, Pa.

Erroneous Information

Re "So Much For The WMD" [Feb. 9], your report on how the CIA misjudged Iraq's ability to produce weapons of mass destruction: There are two distinct issues — how the CIA gathered intelligence and how President Bush acted on it. Neither the CIA nor Bush can be squarely blamed for the intelligence failure. It was probably the result of a communication problem. The CIA views the world in shades of gray, but the President sees things as black or white.
JOEL TENDON
Cortaillod, Switzerland

Did americans go to war in Iraq because of a massive failure by our intelligence agencies or a giant blunder by the Bush Administration? In either case, we should be appalled. The war has cost the lives of hundreds of young men and women. Any sane and humane society should consider it criminal behavior.
DANIEL A. WELCH
Rochester Hills, Mich.

Regarding intelligence on Iraq's WMD, Bush Administration weapons inspector David Kay told a Senate committee, "We were almost all wrong." Almost all, but not quite. On the eve of the war, chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix reported finding no evidence of WMD stockpiles in Iraq and asked that the search continue.
GENE BRYANT
Nashville, Tenn.

What Are Bush's Chances?

In "Why Bush Isn't A Shoo-In" [Feb. 9], columnist Joe Klein wrote that the President "has spent the past three years packed in political bubble wrap, sequestered from the realities of the public sphere." Wasn't Bush's father criticized during the 1992 campaign for being out of touch with mainstream America? Our current President's habit of being fed information mainly through his handlers keeps him not only out of touch with the mainstream but also willingly in the dark about issues and opinions other than those his close advisers believe he wants to (or should) hear. There is no excuse for Bush to close his mind to contrary ideas and complex issues. Bush's behavior demonstrates the lack of an essential leadership quality: critical thought.
LYNNE STEBBINS
Port Washington, N.Y.