LETTERS: HOW CAN WE HAVE CONFIDENCE NOW?

To the editor:

Recently I came across a quote by a former president that was made in a commencement address in 1993. I was struck by its relevance for our country today as we are faced with the situation of a president who wants to regain our trust.

"For you see, the character that takes command in moments of crucial choices has already been determined. It has been determined by a thousand other choices made earlier in seemingly unimportant moments. It has been determined by all those little choices of years past -- by all those times when the voice of conscience was at war with the voice of temptation, whispering a lie that it doesn't matter. It has been determined by all the day-to-day decisions made when life seemed easy and crises seemed far away -- the decisions that piece by piece, bit by bit, developed habits of discipline or of laziness, habits of self-sacrifice or self-indulgence, habits of duty and honor and integrity, or dishonor and shame." -- Ronald Reagan, as reported in The Working Communicator, September 1995.

How can we ever again have confidence in Clinton when he looks convincingly at us through the camera lens, sounds so sincere and tells us why we must support his decisions on foreign policy, be it authorizing missile strikes or dealing with China or anything else.

Can Bill Clinton regain our trust? Sure. When a leopard can change its spots.

JANINE PFANSTIEL

Cape Girardeau