THE MORRIS MESS

On the basis of his awe-inspiring spin, I can't imagine why anybody except Richard Morris was needed on President Clinton's re-election team [NATION, Sept. 9]. After all, in the first six days he single-handedly choreographed a convention, formulated policy, wrote the President's, Vice President's and First Lady's speeches, trounced the Dole campaign as well as his enemies in the Administration, and did everything short of curing cancer. And on the seventh day, he rested. And now we know how he did that. JON MAAS Los Angeles

Why is it such a big deal that Morris talked frankly to a sex worker about his professional life? Why is this newsworthy? This was a sex worker, not an espionage operative or even a terrorist instigator. Assuming she was listening to even half of what Morris said, did she have access to someone who could use the information to threaten the President or the country? ADREANA LANGSTON Oakland, California

The President's closest political strategist should have the wisdom and maturity to stay away from sexual misbehavior. But using that logic as the reason for Morris' resignation could be dangerous for the Democrats. After all, isn't this standard even more applicable to the President? JOHN P. SHELTON Los Angeles

The issue here is why officials, once identified, appear so eager to exhibit their revealed (mis)conduct in public. JAMES HORGEN Sliema, Malta

What happens behind closed doors (or even on balconies) does not affect the everyday decisions a politician must make. Let's not permit Queen Victoria to make up our minds about whom we vote for. It is time to return to the Monroe Doctrine (Marilyn Monroe, that is) and sweep peccadilloes under the carpet, where they belong. Let us vote on the issues, no matter what the liberal or conservative position. This is the only way that legislation will reflect our desires. RICHARD K. HIRSCH Silverado, California

Perhaps Morris is, after all, the ultimate spinning spin master and is employed by Bob Dole for this year's presidential campaign. EMILY D'AULAIRE West Redding, Connecticut Via E-mail

I said it after last week's issue, and i repeat it after this week's issue. This is more than I care to know about Morris. JEAN LEWIS Los Angeles

A COUPLE'S TRYING WEEK

I read with disgust the account that Morris' wife, Eileen McGann, gave of the couple's troubled week [NATION, Sept. 9]. The major problem she avoids is that the reason Morris is upset is that he got caught. He doesn't feel bad about the adultery or his yearlong deception of his wife. She doesn't seem to care about that either but shows more concern about his getting caught. PETER VENTURA Warner Robins, Georgia

It's no big deal when one prostitute consorts with another. What is really shocking is when the lawyer wife of one of them says, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." What ever became of grammatical correctness? CARL GERSUNY Peace Dale, Rhode Island

As a longtime Democratic supporter, I am stunned by Morris' interview "Even If This Destroys Me..." It does indeed give "an interesting glimpse of Morris' perception of what his role had been." Is this what political strategy has come down to in the 1990s, slicing momentum and triangulating scores? What a crushing disappointment! PETER CHIARAMONTE San Diego

Dinner with crystal and silver after learning your husband has been seeing a prostitute for a year! What a photo opportunity. Most wives (including mine of 30 years) would be casting stones in the direction of the wayward mate, or maybe the crystal and silver. Most of us can't write a speech on family values; we just live them. DAVID BONANDER Crete, Illinois

THE CLINTON MESSAGES

The cloying Clinton hand-holding photograph [NATION, Sept. 9] leads me to believe that Bill and Hillary Clinton are the greatest acting couple since the Lunts. Such hypocrisy is enough to make flowers wilt. We've had four years of charisma. Let's try character this time. HOWARD M. BLANKMAN Port Washington, New York

"It Takes a Village" is an ancient African proverb that speaks to the necessity of communal rules in archaic cultures, with the tribal chief as leader. But Americans don't live in primal villages. When Hillary Clinton says, "It takes a village," she really means, "It takes the state"--to put a V chip into your television, to determine how to keep you safe, to protect your health. Hillary is a statist, one who believes the best government is more government. And many Americans cheer her, as if she doesn't mean what she says. Today no successful and free government even considers Hillary Clinton's dated socialism. That's because no village, not even the Clintons', can mandate values. "It's the family, stupid." KEN DOWE Dallas

VIEWPOINT ON VALUES

Please give Robert Wright more space. His masterly essay "The False Politics of Values" [NATION, Sept. 9] carefully considers all the options except a spiritual revival nourished by a social movement. When people strongly believe that decent human beings do not walk out on their children, do help those truly in need and do not abuse drugs--most of them, most of the time, do what is right. See, for instance, most Mormons, Black Muslims and Orthodox Jews. Secular social movements may also feed a spiritual revival.

The progressives did much to clean up America; democratic movements are a major moral force overseas. And communitarians, who combine religious and secular folks, may carry the day. Legislating morality does not work--unless moral commitments are in place. Let's have faith in faith. AMITAI ETZIONI Washington

AMERICANS IN IRAQ

Let Saddam Hussein know we mean it [WORLD, Sept. 9]! Winston Churchill called World War II "the unnecessary war." Hitler saw that we would not stop him when German troops marched into the Rhineland in 1936. The desire for peace can lead to disaster. YVONNE KENT Middleburg Heights, Ohio

FRECKLES TO THE FORE--FINALLY

Thank you for telling me in "Fall Preview" that freckles are in [ARTS & MEDIA, Sept. 9]. Why couldn't this have come years ago, when I was a teenager? Red hair and freckles were a double burden, but a dear friend gave me a little statuette that says, A FACE WITHOUT FRECKLES IS LIKE A SKY WITHOUT STARS. Hurrah for freckles! ESTHER RHODE Green Valley, Arizona

BIBLE TALK

I find appalling, but not surprising, the most recent efforts to "simplify" the Bible [RELIGION, Sept. 9]. We live in an era when it is easier to let others do our thinking for us and when we are more obsessed with being politically correct than grammatically correct. Never mind that what we communicate rests on how we communicate. Tears did not fill my eyes as I read the article. I wept. There is a dramatic, and now fading, distinction. HAROLD R. LEWIS Front Royal, Virginia

How awful! Can I assume Genesis 1: 3 will be: "And God said 'Turn on the lights.' And there was a Big Bang"? BOB DEAN Raleigh, North Carolina