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A Race to the End

Is there not a fourth option for the end of the battle for the Democratic nomination [May 5]? If Barack Obama wins the majority of pledged delegates and the Democratic National Committee decides to hand the nomination to Hillary Clinton, he could declare himself an independent candidate. That would guarantee a loss for Clinton but could result in the building of an all-inclusive New Democratic Party. J. Gerard Janssen, TORONTO

I think the current race is the best, most riveting election campaign I have witnessed as an adult. I'm 56. Never before have I seen a primary campaign come down to the wire like this year's Democratic contest. Back in January I was hoping for the same thing on the Republican side. Sure, hard-fought contests are bruising for all concerned, but I believe the nation will be better off next January, when the new President takes office, because of the election fights that took place this year. Now if only we could shorten the campaign season. Dave Peterson, TUCSON, ARIZ.

When my 5-year-old, an Ardent Hillary supporter, saw your Obama/Clinton cover, she combined the names Barack and Hillary and got Barackary. She then noted that Barackary sounds like broccoli and offered, "We don't like it, but it is good for us." Jason Petri, GREEN RIVER, WYO.

The New Newt

When Newt Gingrich responded to one of your 10 Questions [May 5] with "the only zone where the dollar's value matters to us is the purchase of oil," he reminded me of the old joke: "Except for that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?" Arthur Katz, BETHLEHEM, PA.

This is the guy directly responsible for the Republican takeover of Congress in 1994, in which he branded all Democrats as untrustworthy, disloyal and un-American. Talk about writing alternative history. Days of Infamy perfectly describes Gingrich's era as a member of Congress. Bill Shick, NASHVILLE

Deathday Wishes

Nancy Gibbs' eloquence on the death of her father left me breathless [May 5]. Yet the concept of a Deathday is not merely a quirk of J.K. Rowling's literature: Jewish culture has celebrated the Yahrzeit for centuries. It is a day of joyous yet sorrowful memory of those gone, during which people gather to support the bereaved with sweet recollections of the dead. My grandfather died when I was 7. Every year his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren partake of a meal in his name, those who remember him speaking of him to those who do not. I am 22 now and in no danger of forgetting him. Lily Weiss, LAWRENCE, N.Y.

Unvarnished Patriotism

Michael Eric Dyson's article spells out with exquisite precision the fundamental disjunct between two communities highlighted in the recent flap over the Rev. Jeremiah Wright [May 5]. Patriotism rather than nationalism remains one of the striking differences found in the majority of black American churches. An unjaundiced assessment of our nation's moral standing along with a willingness to call it stridently to account have long been evident in black church pulpits. Yet there is a simultaneous call to good citizenship and a grateful acknowledgment of our country's wonderful opportunities. In sum, we love our country rather than remain infatuated with it. Stephen Richardson, NASHVILLE

A Bias Against China?

Like other western Journalists, Simon Elegant tries to attribute the anti-Western protests in China to xenophobia [May 5]. But he fails to explain why people in the U.S. and other countries share the Chinese people's outrage. Unless the West can come to terms with the fact that China is going to be a major global power, the notion that China will be a destabilizing force is more a self-fulfilling prophecy than an inevitable outcome. M. Loo, WASHINGTON

The western world should know that using the Olympics as a forum for criticizing China is both counterproductive and unfair. The Chinese people are proud of their achievements of the past couple of decades and, though much still needs to be done, they are progressing at an impressive pace. Engagement is the only way to influence both the people and their government. While muted in their public criticism of their political leaders, the Chinese people are surprisingly frank in admitting their shortcomings, though they tend to accept restrictions on political freedom as a necessary trade-off for the economic gains they have achieved, at least in the major cities. Given time and patience, the West's more positive values and practices will osmose into their collective social consciousness. Unfortunately, so will our less desirable and wasteful ones. Sigmund Roseth, MISSISSAUGA, ONT.

The Shrinking Democrats

Joe Klein is almost correct when he states that the ABC News debate in Philadelphia "will go down in history for the relentless vulgarity of its questions" [May 5]. But the questions weren't so much vulgar as they were vapid. The only thing moderator Charles Gibson forgot to do was follow Barbara Walters' infamous example and ask Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton what kind of trees they would be. Holmes Brannon, WOODLAND PARK, COLO.

Joe Klein feels certain that Pennsylvania voters based their choice on "low-information signaling" and the social body language of the candidates. The bias and sheer presumption of this piece is astounding. Did Klein consider for a moment that maybe those who voted for Clinton think her just as capable as Obama of having a high-minded conversation? Most voters embrace hope and are ready for change, but the reality is that both Democratic candidates can offer these things. Obama may need to first more candidly address mundane, equally urgent issues affecting many of us. It's as if we're being invited to take the philosophy course without having any idea what the tuition will be. Erin McLaughlin Griffin, KINGSTON, PA.

I am a Catholic American with an Arabic name and take great offense at the comment you made about Obama's name. There isn't any such thing as an "Islamic-sounding name." The language is Arabic. Julie Behlok, ROCHESTER, N.Y.

Katie's Critics

Katie Couric's problem is not her gender; it's that her recent professional experience was light banter and soft stories [May 5]. In its efforts to "tart up" the news, CBS put her in the position of playing to her weaknesses rather than her strengths. The change in her style and appearance made her unfamiliar to fans who might have followed her from the Today show. Stanley Kalemaris, MELVILLE, N.Y.

TIME's Global-Warming Cover

I am a retired Marine, and I would love to hear you explain to the survivors of the campaign on Iwo Jima just why you had to use "our photo" with a tree [April 28]. I work in an environmental-protection field, have a degree in biology and can not only spell ecology but understand the implications of human actions on our environment. I think you may mean well, but your judgment leaves a bit to be desired. Please leave the ecological subjects in the realm of science and the patriotic war and flag symbols in theirs. Mark Ronning, FERGUS FALLS, MINN.

Raising the flag on mount Suribachi was a sign of victory for our military in a hard-fought battle. Our country lost more than 400,000 soldiers in WW II. If global warming ever causes that many deaths, then you can start Photoshopping pictures. Meredith Lea, BLOOMINGTON, ILL.

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