Inbox

Opposites Attract

You couldn't just do a story about the legacy left by Ronald Reagan on the 100th anniversary of his birth, could you ["The Role Model," Feb. 7]? Instead, your cover implies some sort of symbolic embrace of President Obama by Reagan. Where in your liberal minds did you come up with that one? Do you honestly think Reagan, a man who made his place in history by cutting the size of government, would embrace the policies of a man who thinks bigger government will solve everything?

Ann Craig-Cinnamon, GREENWOOD, IND.

When I first saw your cover, I thought in disgust, How could they Photoshop together two such diametrically opposed people? But the article was a well-written, enlightening read on the lessons our political leaders can learn from one another behind the scenes. Kudos to Obama and Reagan for taking notes on political style from their predecessors: Obama from Reagan and Reagan from another diametric opposite, Franklin Roosevelt.

Adam Scott Kunz, WASHINGTON

Seeing Presidents Reagan and Obama on your cover sent me back to my 1980s childhood. As the daughter of a public-school teacher, I remember the look of ever increasing worry on my parents' faces while we tried to survive Reaganomics. The glorification of his presidency mystifies me.

Mary Pirkl, KAMPSVILLE, ILL.

Arizona's Struggles

Thanks for putting a spotlight on the many ways in which Arizona is trying to push itself back to the Stone Age, politically and socially ["Arizona's Great Divide," Feb. 7]. Most of us here love our state, and we're perpetually embarrassed by the legislature and the governor. They've just passed a bill allowing them to violate the property rights of the sovereign Tohono O'odham nation. One hopes national attention would put a damper on these things, but Governor Jan Brewer, state senator Russell Pearce and the rest seem to have no sense of shame.

Jeffrey J. Mariotte, DOUGLAS, ARIZ.

I was offended by Nathan Thornburgh's reference to the courageous man who saved Representative Giffords' life as "gay and Hispanic." Here is a man who showed courage and levelheaded thinking amid chaos, and Thornburgh chose to label him. If I had been the hero, would he have written "straight and white"?

Jeffrey Parenteau, WEST GREENWICH, R.I.

In the article on Arizona, the terms documented and undocumented are used. Surely, legal and illegal were meant.

Charles E. Stanford, LIVERPOOL, N.Y.

Sizing Up SOTU

I have read at least a dozen reports and reviews of the State of the Union address, and none of them nailed it as Joe Klein did ["Hello, Sunshine," Feb. 7]. Kudos.

Gene Davis Reese, WESTPORT, KY.

Trivial anecdotes do nothing to answer the hard policy questions the Administration faces. Was Obama's speech a political success? Yes. A policy outline? By no means.

Brady Sharp, CONWAY, ARIZ.