To the Editor:

Imagine a primary campaign where Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama are appreciative and complimentary toward each other. Imagine them articulating their differences—different personal strengths, different ideas—without recourse to attacks on the other.

That way, the party could remain strong and united and the voters could choose, based on their preferences of personality and policy.

The prospect of the candidates’ attacking one another is painful to me. What is gained by this? We obviously have two enormously talented imperfect front-runner candidates, and a few others as well. This is an embarrassment of riches. Let’s savor it! And may the best person for this historical moment win!

Claire Basescu
New York, Jan. 10, 2008

Note from KBJ: The letter writer is obviously unfamiliar with the Clintons.