Olympic Gold

To the Editors:

The 1984 Summer Olympics were innovative, entertaining, safe and debt free [OLYMPICS, Aug. 13]. Peter Ueberroth, the man behind it all, should be Man of the Year for his contribution to world unity and the U.S.'s bright new image.

Terry L. Varvel

Corona, Calif.

The Olympic Games were so inspiring that they make me think I can do anything if I work hard enough.

Linda Morgan

Cadiz, Ohio

Your stories on these dedicated, disciplined, clear-eyed young athletes assure me that all is well.

Thomas C. Gordon

McCloud, Calif.

Watching Mary Lou Retton perform a perfect 10 was as exciting as seeing the Super Bowl.

Patty Wood

Oreland, Pa.

Carl Lewis is super. We should run him for President while he is still hot.

Rollin C. Williams

Salem, Conn.

The Lewis copyright mark on your cover photograph reflects the true character of your subject. Lewis is apparently out for himself. A worthier cover subject would have been the U.S. men's gymnastics team or Gabriela Andersen-Schiess They, not Lewis, are true Olympians.

Alec Haverstick

Short Hills, N.J

Lewis may tie the immortal Jesse Owens by winning four Olympic gold medals but the brash, boastful Lewis will never approach Owens when it comes to class dignity and character.

Larry Bauer

Cleveland

Lewis must have set still another record. Has anyone else made the cover of TIME twice in 14 days?

Edgar A. Rist

Dundee, Fla.

Yes, but Lewis is the first athlete. Other double exposures in a fortnight: Richard Nixon, Lyndon Johnson, Spiro Agnew, Henry Kissinger, John Dean, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan.

All during the Olympics I delighted in watching my children play Mary Lou Retton and Bart Conner.

Margaret V. Kritzler

Wilmette, Ill.

As a South African living in the U.S., I was thrilled to watch the Games. Unfortunately, my countrymen were denied the privilege of competing. Olympic officials should consider the economic support that South Africa provides its neighboring black countries, for whom the red carpet was laid out in Los Angeles. Perhaps Seoul in 1988 will welcome us.

Maurice P. Joffe

Boston

The full-page photo of fourth-place Swimmer Kim Linehan being comforted by her father gripped my heart. In my eyes, Kim is a winner, and so is TIME for printing such a touching photo.

Kate L. Steele

Indianapolis

Although the ponytails are similar, the figure on the balance beam in your photograph is Kathy Johnson, not Julianne McNamara.

Amy Allen

Jamestown, N.C.

TIME did indeed mix up the ponytails.

I disagree with your criticism of ABC's Olympic coverage. It is wonderful to see millions of Americans, including the broadcasters, supporting the home team.

Nikolett Null

Chicago

ABC's coverage has been reprehensible. Dominated by a deeply ingrained provincialism, the network showed disdain for competitors not vying directly with U.S. athletes and for sports not familiar to the American public.

Ricardo Gutierrez Mouat

Atlanta

I am amused by your criticism of ABC's Olympics commentators for not describing technical details in depth. In Britain the BBC announcers made practically no informational comments. On one occasion I did hear a commentator explain the difference between one rowing event and another. But he immediately apologized, saying he had not meant to insult the intelligence of his audience.

Victoria Chandler

Milledgeville, Ga.

Nixon, a Decade Later

More of us should take Richard Nixon's advice and "never look back" [NATION, Aug. 13]. If Americans continue to harbor harsh feelings for Nixon, they will be ignoring one of the most perceptive political thinkers of our time.

Nora L. Gibson

San Anselmo, Calif.

"Never look back" is a good philosophy for Nixon. If Americans look back, they will remember what a shabby, paranoid scoundrel Nixon really is. If he looks back, he will not be able to look at himself in the mirror.

Arthur Ness

Prairie du Sac, Wis.

Richard Nixon's great accomplishments are woven like a golden thread through the fabric of the past 37 years. Any unbiased observer would see his career as a lifetime of service to a country that, you imply, would just as soon disown him.

Janet Huston

Oak Lawn, Ill.

Richard Nixon's unpardonable crime was robbing America of his great potential.

Marian Hood-Tilley

Ripley, W. Va.

I protest your use of the quote from Robert Sam Anson's book Exile: The Unquiet Oblivion of Richard M. Nixon, in which Nixon fumbles for words when asked what he is most sorry about. As Anson tells the story, Nixon granted an interview to his former aide Diane Sawyer. He had every reason to believe that the interview, which would be aired on CBS, would be a friendly exchange. Sawyer pressed him on matters that she knew would catch him off base. I interpret his hesitant speech as reflecting dismay that she would violate the implicit terms of the interview by bringing up Watergate. Nixon did not know how to reply to a hostile line of questioning from a friend.

William L. Denton

San Francisco

I am sick and tired of hearing about Nixon's enormous crimes. Americans should realize that their moral indignation against one of the ablest Presidents in modern U.S. history is viewed with great amusement by the rest of the world.

BaSaw Khin

Tucson

If Nixon were the candidate this November, I would vote for him.

Donald McGinness

Harlingen, Texas