LETTERS: PART OF FAMILY VALUES

To the editor:

The Republican Party portrays itself as being family oriented and as the party that represents the true American values. Let's zero in on the GOP claim of being family oriented.

Republican President Ronald Reagan was divorced. Bob Dole is divorced -- his first wife said he was so obsessed with politics he never ate more than three meals with her and their daughter the last year of their marriage. Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich divorced his first wife and married another woman. Phil Gramm also is was divorced.

The Republican Party's No. 1 Clinton basher, Rush Limbaugh, has been married three times, and he has the nerve to call Clinton "Slick Willie." The Republicans divorce their wives, marry others and go about their merry ways, leaving their ex-wives behind to bear the responsibility of raising their children. They are home-wreckers, family dividers and quick to run to the divorce courts. The above Republican leaders represent the lowest element in family unity.

Now let's zero in on Democrat presidents. Franklin Roosevelt was not divorced. Neither was Harry Truman, nor John Kennedy, nor Lyndon Johnson, nor Jimmy Carter, nor Bill Clinton. In fact, no Democrat president has ever been divorced.

The Republicans have made an issue of family values. With their record, who's going to believe them?

W.T. WOODS

Bertrand