Letters
to the Editor

Write a Letter to the Editor

Thursday, September 3, 1998

Quit now,
Mr. President

Polls showing support for Clinton are disturbing

I felt betrayed when President Clinton lied about his "inappropriate relations" with Monica Lewinsky back in January. I was further angered to hear the president try to rationalize his behavior and redirect the blame to Ken Starr during his television speech to the nation.

Although I don't agree with some of the legal tactics that Starr used, he did prove he was right with respect to Clinton's involvement with Lewinsky. Starr did the right thing in pursuing the truth.

Results of recent public surveys disturb me. To know that there are many Americans who still sympathize with the president is unbelievable. Clinton brought this controversy entirely upon himself. He should resign or be impeached.

Adrienne Kasaoka
Mililani

Hillary must think people are stupid

Does Hillary Clinton really expect us to believe that she only recently learned of her husband's extramarital relationship?

Hillary has co-partnered Bill's presidency and participated in his political and legal maneuvers since day one. She sequestered with the president's elite legal circle to plan his Aug. 17 testimony. She helped write his post-testimony speech and, upon her insistence, used this opportunity to bash Ken Starr.

More than likely, her surprise and shock came less from finding out about his infidelity than from his final decision to change his prolonged flat denial of an improper relationship with Lewinsky.

The poor, misled-wife strategy has worked well for Hillary in the past. It garnered enough sympathy for this innocent, beleaguered, victimized wife to escalate her rating in the public opinion polls and, in doing so, to escalate his.

Wanda Kulamanu Ellis Au

Citizens will soon realize character does matter

For seven months, we have been assured by pundits and polls that the American voters emphasize job performance, and don't think private conduct is relevant for a president.

Reaction to President Clinton's admission, however, is changing that. Character is going be a major issue in the next presidential election and in congressional and gubernatorial contests as well.

Ironically, the legacy of the Clinton presidency is likely to be that character matters.

Cedric B. Cowing

Country, Clinton's family deserve better treatment

Congress should not reprimand President Clinton, as this would be a mere slap on the wrist. This is serious business and if we have wishywashy congressional representatives, this only shows the level of professional standards to which our government has now stooped.

Clinton's resignation would save him further embarrassment and pain to those close to him and this great nation.

May Hillary and Chelsea continue to have the courage and strength to deal with this, an American tragedy. They deserve better.

Tom Sugita
Pearl City

Governor Cayetano isn't so scandal-free after all

While I was home this summer, I watched political ads on TV. I found it funny how one of Ben Cayetano's ads professed that his campaign has had no scandals during his term.

Now, with allegations about Bert Kobayashi's questionable contracts, and his campaign accused of dredging up issues about whether Linda Lingle is gay, it would be an embarrassment to run that commercial again.

Joni Kamiya
St. Louis, Mo.
(Via the Internet)

Letter incident portends bad things for Lingle

Linda Lingle's campaign claims to have a document circulated within the Democratic Party that maligns her reputation. Yet her campaign spokesman refuses to produce it, saying that he'll do so when he's "good and ready."

If a politician surrounds himself or herself with people this ego-driven and arrogant, I can imagine his or her cabinet's response to the people's concerns once in office: "We'll consider them when we're good and ready."

Pat DeBusca
Waipahu
(Via the Internet)

Fasi did very poorly in debate with Lingle

After viewing the GOP gubernatorial debate, it seemed obvious who should win the primary. Mayor Lingle was calm and focused. Mayor Fasi, on the other hand, exhibited old habits -- being antagonistic and confrontational.

Fasi said Lingle's experience running government was brief and small-time (comparing Honolulu to Maui County), but I don't see what that has to do with anything. That's like saying an auto technician with two years experience in a small two-bay shop can't do a better job than one with 30 years' experience in a 12-bay shop.

While the "experience" part helps, it doesn't fix the difficult "problem cars." That's where theory, knowledge of operation and troubleshooting methods come into play.

Gary Fuchikami
Pearl City
(Via the Internet)

Fasi's idea would just waste more tax money

On the Lingle vs. Fasi TV debate: Mayor Fasi said if he is elected he will have his lieutenant governor travel overseas to attract new business investments.

Wouldn't this duplicate the duties of the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, and increase the cost of government? If the managers of the DBEDT can't achieve their goals, they should be replaced with managers who can and stop wasting taxpayers' money.

Wilbert W.W. Wong

---

Write a
Letter to the Editor

Want to write a letter to the editor? Let all Star-Bulletin readers know what you think. Please keep your letter to about 200 words. You can send it by e-mail to letters@starbulletin.com or you can fill in the online form for a faster response. Or print it and mail it to: Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, Hawaii 96802. Or fax it to: 523-8509. Always be sure to include your daytime phone number.