Religious Right and Bill Clinton

Re “A Victim of the Third Great Awakening,” Opinion, Jan. 14: According to Neal Gabler, Bill Clinton’s presidency represents “the forces of cultural secularism.” I find this contention more than a little strange, considering all of the trappings of religiosity that surround Clinton and his administration. We have seen numerous photographs of Clinton coming out of church, Bible in hand. The Revs. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are prominent spokesmen for Democratic causes. Clinton has been a faithful participant in prayer breakfasts. Clinton and other prominent Democrats have appeared at numerous black churches, particularly around election time.

We are also told by Gabler about the “the transformation of the Republican Party into a religious instrument.” This may be consistent with his worldview. However, as a longtime Republican and “charter member” of the “vast right-wing conspiracy,” I doubt that this has happened. As a conservative, I am mostly interested in smaller government, tax relief, education reform, legal reform, a strong defense and other secular issues.

RICHARD PETERSON

Oxnard

* I found Gabler’s article on the victimization of President Clinton by the “Third Great Awakening” (that is, the religious right) novel and interesting. However, I disagree with his premise that Clinton’s affair with Monica Lewinsky will define his legacy.

When one reads “The ‘Natural’ Wraps up His 8-Year Run” (Jan. 14), one finds on Page 30, in the timeline titled “Power Points,” that President Clinton’s approval ratings increased and reached a height of 67% after the House voted to impeach him over the affair with Lewinsky. Such success and job productivity will, in my view, determine Clinton’s legacy.

MADELINE DeANTONIO

Encino