Letters, Apr. 8, 1996

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THE TRUTH ABOUT WHITEWATER

"The Clintons have taken indiscreet actions in the past, but the issue is how they are performing their duties as First Family." JOHN S. GRIFFIN Indianapolis, Indiana

JAMES STEWART'S BOOK BLOOD SPORT should be required reading for every U.S. citizen of voting age [Book Excerpt, March 18]. It reveals an extremely disturbing pattern of deceit, dishonesty and use of power for personal gain by the Clintons. The moral decadence in America has spread as high as the White House. RICHARD R. KURTZ Angier, North Carolina Via E-mail

AMERICANS ARE BORED WITH WHITEwater and appalled at the amount of money being spent for a political investigation that has gone on too long and proved no wrongdoing. What a waste of space for you to publish the book excerpt. CHARLENE E. BOSTROM Bethel, Vermont Via E-mail

STEWART'S PORTRAIT OF THE CLINTONS' involvement in Whitewater is deeply disturbing. These are intelligent, highly educated people, so they cannot claim ignorance as a defense for violating acceptable standards of ethical behavior during Bill Clinton's tenure as Governor of Arkansas. Yet the incestuous business-political relationships of Hillary Clinton and a total indifference to the logical consequences of such actions by Governor Clinton imply either ignorance or an arrogant contempt for ethical conduct. These are not admirable people, and no amount of spin can change that. The question of character and integrity will loom as large as that of political ideology in the presidential election. KEN FAUST Birmingham, Alabama

WHAT A MOUNTAIN HAS BEEN MADE OUT of this molehill. Whitewater was not a nefarious criminal conspiracy. The book excerpt does not offer any new insights into the Clintons' character that aren't obvious from their years in public service. Bill Clinton is not particularly motivated to make money. That is no surprise, given his choice to serve as a low-paid Governor instead of cashing in on his Yale law degree at a big-money law firm. And Hillary Clinton is stubborn and tends to hold on to causes, both winning and losing ones, long after others have given up on them. This trait can be seen in her crusade on behalf of America's children as well as in her tenacity in the health-care debate. CATHY BOGGS Santa Barbara, California Via E-mail

STEWART'S BOOK TELLS NOT ONLY OF A bad investment but also of greed, growing elitism and viciousness on the part of Hillary Clinton, and total ineptitude, inattention and lack of personal responsibility on the part of Bill Clinton. RICHARD ENGEBRETSEN JR. Barnegat, New Jersey

I AM SICK OF READING ABOUT WHITEWAter. Every report I've seen, including this story, says nothing illegal was done. This is just a Republican witch-hunt. Enough! PAT MARSHALL Berwyn, Illinois

STEWART'S METICULOUS RESEARCH IS overwhelming, incontrovertible and utterly damning. President and Mrs. Clinton, far from being innocent bystanders during the decade of greed, were active and willing participants. CLIFTON WELLMAN Seabury, New York