LETTERS: DEFINING BOB DOLE

To the editor:

What's the matter with Bob Dole? Essentially, Dole is afraid to define himself to the American people. He knows who he is. He's a top-notch political engineer. Neither the Republican-Democrat partisan nor the conservative-liberal absolute images as they are now implanted in the public discourse fit him. He's all of these. He's a pragmatist par excellence, and he's trying to cram himself into the present contrived mold of a conservative.

Through the years, he has been a meticulous craftsman of "politics is the art of the possible," doing his homework feverishly. Now he's trying to portray this intense journey to the American people simply as having the experience, and audience that has no idea what an accomplishment this is. He's helpd guide his party through the decades of bipartisan accommodations. Some of these have given America good times, some not so good. He's tuck in the political party that yearns for the fantasy of the Reagan years. The shining city on a hill didn't materialize (or at least didn't last). The utility bill was paid with credit cards that are now maxed out. He offered (in desperation) to be Reagan. He knows that's no possible. We can't afford it. He is sincerely willing to give himself tot he process necessary to bring better order into our national process, but it may not be possible to help this happen under the strict, tunnel-vision, partisan cliches and banners now being held forth. His best shot would be for him to tell all of us who he really is, win or lose. If he would win that way, we'd probably have a good president and a charming standup humorist as well.

GILBERT DEGENHARDT

Cape Girardeau