THE MAN WHO HAD CLINTON'S EAR

"Dick Morris' advice and Clinton's reaction to it suggest we have a rudderless ship of state guided by shifting winds of public opinion." E. TRAVIS YORK Gainesville, Florida

Your article about political strategist Dick Morris was frightening with its myriad implications of no character and double-crossing [THE DEMOCRATS, Sept. 2]. You described an amorphous chameleon who fed Bill Clinton what the voters want to hear, providing the President with a platform that echoes issues back to the voter. This is scarier than Orwell's classic, 1984. Of course we want to hear that; we said it. I hope the average person can judge Clinton's character by the company he keeps. BOB WHITE Chula Vista, California

Isn't it shameful for the President to be manipulated like a puppet and in turn bamboozle this great country? How instructive for the gullible voter to see the way smooth talkers, fast operators and spin controllers are trying to win the election at any cost. YOAN ZAIFER Pompano Beach, Florida

Clinton has destroyed the moral authority of his presidency with his nefarious means of securing votes. He continues the dumbing down of some Americans and does it with their consent and cooperation. You can't get any dumber than that! HAZEL O. EDWARDS Houston

Like a modern-day Rasputin, Morris wielded an opportunistic influence over Clinton. Learning how Morris operated clarifies for me how the President acquired his political ambidexterity and chameleonic attributes. ROBERTO LLAMAS Pinecrest, Florida

It is a good thing that you ran your cover story on Morris when you did. Otherwise we might never have known how "unimportant" he was to Clinton. PAUL BORSTNIK Perry, Ohio

THE SECRET OF SUCCESS

In response to Michael Kinsley's seven-point explanation of why President Clinton, despite being flawed and slick, is leading in the polls [THE DEMOCRATS, Sept. 2], I offer this: like him or not, he is the hardest-working President since F.D.R. Clinton puts in an incredible number of hours. He is dedicated to his work, and he zealously executes his duties. America is made up of people, some of whom work harder than others, some of whom are more talented than others, but most of whom just have a work ethic. They relate to a President who feels the same. Forget the character question. It's the work ethic, stupid. MICHAEL BOUTIS Manhattan Beach, California

I don't care about Clinton's private life or any mistakes he may have made in the past. I only care about what he has done while in the White House. ASTRID A. NORDNESS Shokan, New York

The apparent willingness of Americans to disregard character in selecting a President speaks volumes about our values, or lack thereof. ROSS DAVIDSON Carmichael, California

You omitted a critical reason why Clinton's "character flaws" are ignored by the voters: the American public prefers proof, and all that it has seen so far is allegations and innuendo. NEAL J. FINK Atlanta

It is shocking how lazy and ignorant Americans are about political candidates. Subjective and cynical, today's media provide alarmingly pessimistic outlooks on candidates whom journalists personally do not approve of. Jesus Christ himself could lose a race for President because of slanderous opinions expressed by other candidates and the press. We Americans enjoy the most freedom of any citizens around the world. We should think for ourselves. JON PHILLIPS Avon, Connecticut Via E-mail

Clinton has a lot of faults. We know what they are and we may not be proud of them, but we can live with them. TROY L. COX Stone Mountain, Georgia

Kinsley has failed to note one reason why Clinton may be re-elected: the media desperately want it to be so. ROGER RICHARDS Yongin, Korea

The President showed real backbone in his fight with Newt Gingrich and the Republican Congress over the budget. The people saw strength in Clinton's actions, in contrast to the Republicans' faulty strategizing and disregard for collateral damage. Consultant Dick Morris may have got to play in the sandbox with the big players for a while, but his influence was primarily ancillary--not to mention cynical and pandering to the nth degree. Morris' gimmickry does not address the real concerns of the people. Voters will cast their ballots on decisive pocketbook issues, just as they always do. JEFF SOFTLEY Los Angeles

WORDS FROM AN ANCHORPERSON

RE your report on television coverage of the convention in San Diego [THE REPUBLICANS, Aug. 26]: while I accept the dubious honor you bestowed on me as the "gushiest anchorman" for my remarks about Elizabeth Dole's speech, I myself prefer the appellation "kinder, gentler anchorperson." DAN RATHER Anchor and Managing Editor CBS News New York City

HOTEL MAISON BLANCHE

So the Clintons are "renting out" rooms in the White House [NOTEBOOK, Sept. 2] to the ritzy, glitzy donors to the Democratic Party's moneybag? Shame on whoever is running the reservation desk at Hotel Maison Blanche! JESSE MARKHAM Friendship, Maine

Turning the White House into a bed-and-breakfast is inappropriate. Has any other President used the White House for personal gain? The tally of $2,515,513 in contributions to Clinton and the Democratic Party should be turned over to the Federal Treasury. SAMUEL B. TROSTLE III Houston Via E-mail

WHO IS RUNNING RUSSIA?

Your report "Is Yeltsin Really in Charge?" [WORLD, Sept. 2] raised some relevant questions about the state of Russia today. Of special concern is the decay of Yeltsin's once commanding role as the bold leader of the newly democratic Russia into a leader who exists in name only. There is a desperate search for the man who once championed the advent of democracy in Russia. What ever happened to the leader who stood fast and courageously held back military tanks for the good of the people? The man whom millions saw in that role is now available only for photo opportunities at a time when Russia faces serious threats to its political and military security. Yeltsin's near loss in the recent elections reinforced people's belief that tangible change in Russia has crumbled along with Yeltsin's presidency. The state of Russia is certainly ailing, and Chechnya may very well be Yeltsin's downfall. In this war, what was once a great army is being crushed by a militia of modestly armed rebels. It remains for Yeltsin to regain his resolve to lead a new Russia away from insecurity and uncertainty and toward stability. NEIL PATEL Woodbury, New York

GETTING HIGH ON CHOCOLATE

It was disconcerting to read in your pages about the witch-hunt for chocolate [HEALTH, Sept. 2]. The enemies of chocolate, by attempting to associate it with a marijuana high through their tenuous research, have devised a reason to make this delightful treat illegal. These are people who want to eliminate all the small pleasures of life. But many of us are prepared to fight back for our chocolate. Underground chocolate factories may soon appear if legislation restricting chocolate ensues. JOEL NEUMAN Toronto

RE the link between chocolate and marijuana: I chew, but I never swallow. GAIL A. REYNOLDS Dade City, Florida Via E-mail

STEPHEN KING'S BLOCKBUSTERS

As the literary agent who persuaded Stephen King to publish The Green Mile in serialization [BOOKS, Sept. 2], I need to set the record straight about the cost of the book. You say that at the end of buying the six installments, a reader will have shelled out a total of $18.94 for "what would have cost around $6.99 if it had been a normal, one-volume, mass-market paperback." The retail prices for new books from authors like King are as high as $27.95 in hard cover and $7.99 in paperback. To the millions of King fans who would pay $27.95 to read a new King novel, $18.94 is a reasonable price. The public has made this series a huge success, not the "nifty trick" your article referred to but, according to Publishers Weekly, "perhaps the most successful mass-market publishing program ever." RALPH M. VICINANZA New York City

DON'T SAVE US FROM SMOKING

There cannot be anyone left on this planet who is unaware that smoking is not a healthy activity [BUSINESS, Sept. 2]. The U.S. government now wants to declare nicotine a drug and begin a new drug war. Wars cost money. The media and the Food and Drug Administration use the word addicted as if people had no choice once that first pack of cigarettes is bought and smoked.

The technique of making the smoker appear to be a victim of the tobacco companies and their advertising goes against the idea that we have free choice. Smoking is a pleasurable activity, as is drinking coffee or alcohol and eating chocolate. Millions of people have quit smoking when they judge that the pleasure is outweighed by the bad effects. No one has to smoke, and every smoker can quit. The fda should focus instead on saving us from things we don't have control over, like pesticides in our food supply. TREVA HAMILTON Boise, Idaho