Negative campaigns in gubernatorial primary

Re “Getting Voters Fired Up Is Half the Battle,” May 29

I am a lifelong liberal Democrat, and I am pained by the filthy campaigns of gubernatorial candidates Phil Angelides and Steve Westly. How can anyone even consider voting for either of them after the deluge of muck we’ve been watching on TV? Have politicians no decency left? I even thought of voting for Arnold Schwarzenegger.

But no, I guess I’ll sit this one out. First time in 40 years.

ROBERT KLEIN

Malibu

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By now, if you’re like me, you have reached the point where you wonder either where the “clean primary race” has gone or how the two Democratic candidates have avoided going to jail for the stuff each claims about the other in those nasty ads. The incumbent actually starts to seem the saner choice.

TIM SHULLBERG

Long Beach

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The Democratic candidates have predictably resorted to the mudslinging tactics of negative campaigning. For the California Democratic Party, this is terribly shortsighted.

The two candidates are doing much of the work for Schwarzenegger’s campaign because whether the winner of the primary is Westly or Angelides, the Democratic candidate will enter the fall campaign covered with mud.

Should Schwarzenegger win a second term, the Democrats would have no one to thank but themselves.

STEVE HAMMEL

West Hollywood

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Re “He said he’d be baaaack,” Current, May 28

You’ve got to give Lou Cannon credit for trying to spin Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 40% approval rating into victory in November.

But Schwarzenegger’s an actor, not a magician. And Cannon’s a guy who has written five books on Ronald Reagan, so how connected to reality can he be?

Schwarzenegger’s stardom has dissipated. His arrogance and lack of conviction have left his administration rudderless. It’s time to turn California in a new direction.

CORT CASADY

Encino