Empty Hyperbole Strikes Out

Re “Bush Winds Up and Delivers,” Commentary, Nov. 1: James Pinkerton devotes an entire column to telling us President Bush is solid because he’s OK at throwing a baseball--is Pinkerton serious? Bush blew it weeks ago (see Mayor Rudy Giuliani) when he failed to show up for the Yankees’ first home game after Sept. 11. Our leader needs to be out and about ridding this nation of its fear and malaise (see Giuliani). Where’s George? Can anyone state a single memorable line from Bush in response to the greatest challenge to our nation in over 50 years? Does this White House employ any speech writers at all?

Ever slow on the uptake and unlike 80% of us, Bush doesn’t want to federalize airport security. If Bush wants to show resolve, he needs to put troops on the ground in Afghanistan now; either we’re in it to win it or we’re not.

Monroe Slavin

Encino

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Pinkerton’s commentary on Bush’s ability to throw a ceremonial pitch over home plate got me to thinking about 19th century role models. Instead of the Duke of Wellington, maybe he should have referenced the emperor in Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” with Pinkerton and Peggy Noonan cast as the fawning villagers (“His fastball for democracy was a strike!”).

I know that the president is dedicated to “smoking out” the “evildoers,” and I support him in those efforts. Ultimately, success in this endeavor and in his presidency as a whole will be judged on substance, and not the empty symbolism of some fawning GOP flacks.

John Repka

Laguna Beach