Sanders supporters, hacked emails, Trump, Putin and Fair attendance

Editorial dismissive of unity to come

Re “Do you want to elect Trump, Sandernistas?” (Editorials, July 26): Bernie supporters, “Sandernistas,” gorging on “progressive sour grapes”? My heavens! The bomb thrown here that blew up Hillary Clinton’s lead was the confirmation of the long-held complaint that the Democratic National Committee was tilting the scales to Clinton. The uproar was predictable, but Debbie Wasserman Schultz is gone and that issue won’t define the remaining months of the campaign.

A missing name in this editorial about election spoilers is that of the sulking Eugene McCarthy, whose support might have been key to the outcome of the failed 1968 election. He only endorsed Hubert Humphrey days before the election.

Unlike other spoilers, Sanders will honor his word and work to ensure Clinton’s path to the presidency. For the editors to suggest the antics of immature Bernie bros is a grave threat to her chances itself smacks of misplaced bad faith and is dismissive of the unity that will prevail among Democrats.

This Sandernista is leaving the Dems

Dear editorial board, I am sorry you are so out of touch with the political state of the country. Donald Trump is right: No establishment candidate is going to win the election.

If you look at the growing number of homeless people you would see the country is in deep trouble. Hillary Clinton lied about her State Department emails. Yet the board wants us to believe that “there is no proof” the Democratic National Committee used party resources to stop Bernie Sanders’ campaign. Excuse me, but some primaries were stolen by election fraud. And the false allegations of violence at the Nevada primary is proof the party leaders sought to undermine Sanders.

I have notified my Democrat Party that I am leaving and voting for Green Party candidate Jill Stein when Hillary Clinton is endorsed.

Sanders as the next Ralph Nader?

Why is it shocking to some that the DNC favored Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders? Clinton has been working all her life for the Democratic Party. Sanders was an independent, not a Democrat, when he decided to run for president.

Yet he sought to remake the party by moving it far to the left and calling for a “revolution” to achieve that end. When asking friends’ advice about running as an independent he took the advice of those who cautioned that he not be a Ralph Nader. Let’s hope that it’s not too late for that to come true.

Putin has reasons to help Trump

Re “To Democrats, email hack suggests Trump has new campaign supporter: Putin” (Insight, July 26): I read with interest Donald Trump’s dismissal of the possibility of the Russian leader’s manipulation of our election as a joke. A joke? He has given Putin so many reasons to help him – his choice of campaign manager, the money he owes to Russian investors and his relentless attacks on NATO. It is obvious why the FBI is investigating.

Apparently Republicans have forgotten how much time and money they spent creating the myth that the Chinese tried to manipulate the election of 1996, via a feckless congressional investigation and one by the FBI, neither of which uncovered evidence as powerful as this timely release of sensitive information.

As if we didn’t have enough to fear from the election of this thoroughly unqualified bully, we now must consider how a powerful enemy might make use of him.

Costly Fair, lower attendance

Re “California State Fair attendance drops 14 percent” (Local, July 26): Sabrina Rodriquez, spokeswoman for the California State Fair, states that triple-digit heat and fear factors took a toll on fair attendance. I believe she failed to mention two other factors: the high cost of entry and prices for food and drink.

This story was originally published July 27, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Sanders supporters, hacked emails, Trump, Putin and Fair attendance."