Latest Turns on the Campaign Trail

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/29/opinion/latest-turns-on-the-campaign-trail.html

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To the Editor:

Re “Failing Hopefuls Regroup to Save Their Campaigns” (front page, April 28):

A huge number of American voters this year are fed up with establishment politics, in both parties. They are justifiably angry at not feeling listened to, and want to throw out the whole system. The only two candidates representing a total break with the status quo are Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders. But only Bernie has a history of working 100 percent for the 99 percent.

If the Democratic Party had supported Bernie from the beginning — or even just been unbiased — it would now have a sure winner on its hands. He has brought in many thousands of young people who had never been interested in politics before. They will not be easily swayed to vote for Hillary Clinton. Also, Bernie appeals to independents. Without these two groups, Hillary will have a hard time winning the general election.

If a Republican ends up taking the White House, we will have the Democratic establishment to blame. It will have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

NANCY BENNETT O’HAGAN

Portland, Me.

To the Editor:

After John F. Kennedy’s nomination in 1960, he surprised everyone by selecting his main competitor, Lyndon B. Johnson, as his running mate, hoping that Johnson’s supporters would vote for him. I feel the Bern, and I think there is a parallel.

I fear the impact of Hillary Clinton’s negatives and what the hate machines will do, and she is part of the 1 percent. Hillary must have the support of Bernie’s enthusiastic crowds, and the money we give. I hope she will select Bernie as her running mate, and he will accept as the next step in building his revolution. It seems an unlikely but necessary alliance.

JOHN F. YEAMAN

Austin, Tex.

To the Editor:

Senator Ted Cruz has named Carly Fiorina, the former chief executive of Hewlett-Packard, as his running mate. Now that’s a winning team — a senator who is not respected by his colleagues and a woman who almost ran a legendary company into the ground.

BRUCE HADBURG

Safety Harbor, Fla.

To the Editor:

Re “Trump Details Foreign Policy of Paradoxes” (front page, April 28):

In his major foreign-affairs address on Wednesday, Donald Trump declared that the United States should be “unpredictable, starting now.” Like many of his views in this area, Mr. Trump gets this one exactly backward.

The last thing the world needs is a United States with a radically unpredictable foreign policy, for the same reason that no one needs to share a crowded highway with an unpredictable eighteen-wheeler. Many other countries and institutions formulate their policies with relation to the United States, and a highly erratic American policy would make it impossible for anyone to do so safely.

Mr. Trump’s idea is a call for a state of international chaos that would be dangerous for all concerned, especially the United States.

GEORGE COLVIN

Oakton, Va.

The writer is a retired Foreign Service officer.