Letters: Jan. 22, 2001

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Person Of The Year

"Choosing George W. Bush is like writing a restaurant review after you've ordered your meal but before it has been served." SUSAN J. BERLIN Atlanta

I realize that TIME doesn't always choose a good guy--there are newsmakers of every stripe--but this time you've gone too far [PERSON OF THE YEAR, Dec. 25-Jan. 1]. Your selection of George W. Bush proclaimed to the world that anyone can become President of the U.S., even if he has to resort to stealth and theft to get there. JEANNE SMITH Mount Laurel, N.J.

I am eternally grateful that we now have a President in whom I can find strength of purpose and moral conviction. Yes, the next four years remain to be seen, and I hope Bush does well, but I would much rather put my faith in his leadership than in Bill Clinton's or even Al Gore's. In addition, your article gave me one more reason for backing Bush: peanut-butter-and-honey sandwiches are one of his favorites! BRENDA JACKSON Mesa, Ariz.

You chose W. as your person of the year for his potential, not for the impact he has had on the past year's events. You changed the rules. LYNNE MORGAN Nashville, Tenn.

So the winner in a race between two of the lamest presidential candidates in history was selected Person of the Year? I can only surmise that you didn't want to name Yasser Arafat again. FRED SCHECKER Chicago

Your articles on Bush provided exactly the kind of information that I as a Democratic voter needed to read after the bitter battle for the presidency. You helped me see more of the person beyond the politics. If anyone can move us away from the partisanship that stagnates our growth and well-being as a country, President-elect Bush seems to be the man. KRISTIN LEAH ANELLI Shrewsbury, Pa.

Thanks for picking up an idea from MAD magazine. That cover photo of W. lacks only the "What, me worry?" line. EARL M. WESTER Wyomissing, Pa.

American voters should have been your People of the Year. They shaped the presidential election into one of the most intriguing and controversial events in U.S. history. You have to admit it rekindled a passion for the political process we haven't witnessed in decades. LIDJ LEWIS New Rochelle, N.Y.

You did a good job in revealing sides of Bush that were not evident during his campaign. I'm looking forward to his presidency and am hoping he will follow through on all his promises. Let's give him half a chance and see what he can do. LEE BERRY Ashburn, Va.

The media keep carping about Bush's IQ and inevitably end up comparing him with Bill Clinton, who is said to have the best memory in Washington. But Clinton, despite his prodigious intellect, didn't have the brains to keep his pants on in the Oval Office. There is more than one kind of intelligence. RICHARD A. DUNN Providence, R.I.

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