Smear tactics are a losing strategy

Re “To derail Clinton, her foes take swift action,” Feb. 18

Reading about the conservative slur campaign being planned against presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) brings to mind two recent presidents often put in the great or near-great categories: Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy. Can you imagine what these people would have done against them on the campaign trail? What an idea: Let the candidates be judged on their public records. Am I naive or what?

With the nation’s growing rejection of President Bush’s policies, this planned “Swift boat” campaign against Clinton just might backfire. We can only hope so.

This trend in campaigning is degrading and destructive to the political system on which our country is based.

DAVID B. HOUSH

Glendora

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For conservatives to even think they can use the same down-and-dirty, disgusting, lying tactics and succeed in the next presidential election is insane. What did they actually achieve? The most reviled president in the history of the United States, an impossibly huge deficit, the enormous debt and needless loss of precious life in a war with no end in sight, and a mess that will take decades to repair.

So let them try to deceive voters this time with their false and ugly accusations, and watch them fall flat on their two faces. This time it just won’t work. The public realizes now that the emperor really had no clothes after all. Better late than never.

FRANCES TERRELL

LIPPMAN

Los Angeles

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I overheard a fellow employee spreading gossip about another worker in hopes of getting his job. My boss said: “Don’t tell me how bad he is. I would rather you show me how good you are.” Now here we are today, listening to the Republicans brag about how they are going to lambaste Clinton, which means more dirt from the past and a lot of wild stories about things that probably never happened. Their sole purpose is to plant a seed and wait for it to grow.

Let me say this to the dirt-slinging Republicans: Don’t tell me how bad Clinton is; I would rather you show me how good your candidate is.

FRED GREENE

North Hollywood