Original Message
From: Readers Rep [mailto:Readers.Rep@latimes.com]
Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2004 8:54 PM
To: ‘David’
Subject: RE: “Candidates Lock Horns on Iraq, War on Terrorism” October 19

Thanks for your note, and for spelling it where you think the article is in error. I don’t believe this was a matter of interpretation, although I understand that you do.

The Times article didn’t refer to the entire article; it referred to the specific passage that is quoted in the story. Here is the passage from the L.A. Times article:

The Kerry quote Bush referred to came from an op-ed article in March 2003, in which he argued for tougher efforts to find and destroy terrorist organizations, saying the threat of preemption was inadequate on its own: “It is troubling that this administration’s approach to the menace of loose nuclear materials is long on rhetoric but short on execution. It relies unwisely on the threat of military preemption against terrorist organizations, which can be defeated if they are found but will not be deterred by our military might.”

The essay was, of course, about the danger of Moscow’s nuclear stockpile falling into the hands of terrorists.

I am not sure where in this passage cited in the Times article you see Kerry’s arguing for greater diplomacy but I welcome your further thoughts on this.

Jamie Gold
Readers’ representative