LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: MCCAIN, BRADLEY AREN'T OUT YET

To the editor:

After vehemently opposing their respective opponents in the presidential primary, one wonders how John McCain and Bill Bradley, each in turn, can do an about-face and endorse and support their party's candidate even to the point of joining them in campaigning. Apparently, each of them has determined to live to fight another day. To lick their wounds and pout in oblivion would make no sense. Staying in active opposition would be futile. Even merely giving lip services to the party and candidate would be self-defeating.

Reading between the lines, John McCain tipped his hand recently when he said, Being a good loser is being a loser," indicating he's not playing dead. Picture George Bush (the elder) accusing Ronald Reagan of "voodoo economics" and later becoming his vice president and eventually president. Whatever lies ahead, we may be sure that Bradley and McCain intend to stay in the game. We have not heard the last of them in the public forum.

GILBERT DEGENHARDT

Cape Girardeau