I watched every night of the Republican National Convention last month. I think I’m on solid ground when I say abortion never was mentioned. What a difference watching the first night of the Democratic National Convention. I don’t know how many times abortion or reproductive rights were mentioned, but I’m guessing at least a dozen times.
Just shows you how much the GOP is worried about the consequences of reversing Roe v. Wade come November, compared with the Democrats, who are counting on its impact to win the White House and both chambers of Congress.
— Denny Freidenrich, Laguna Beach, California
Cardinal failed his faith
I am a lifelong Roman Catholic. The Catholic Church should be held to high standards and called out when it isn’t Christ-like. Its leaders should have conviction in their faith and live what they preach.
Chicago Cardinal Blasé Cupich gave the invocation at the Democratic National Convention on Monday. He failed to mention Jesus Christ or use Christ’s words. He did not call out the abomination of having abortion services near the site. He didn’t promote his faith; he hid it.
If the cardinal was told by DNC organizers not to have any overtly Christian references or to stay silent about abortion, then the cardinal should have declined. Or better, stood outside in prayer for the health of mothers and their unborn children. Or for more men to be active and present fathers in their children’s lives. Or for many other worthy causes.
— Doug d’Autremont, Plano
Cartoonist unfair to Biden
I don’t think editorial cartoonist Scott Stantis stayed awake for President Joe Biden’s address on Monday night, per his cartoon. He was probably remembering the boring Republican National Convention and went to bed early. Yes, it was late when Biden took the podium, but it was well worth waiting up for his speech.
The Tribune opinion pages enrage me almost every day. As a longtime Tribune reader, I am terribly disappointed in the slanted opinions we are getting now.
— Margaret McCartney, LaGrange
Throwing shade at Clinton
Monday’s editorial about the Democratic National Convention in Chicago (“Democrats have the narrative. But look at what Republicans have ceded.,” Aug. 20) did not need to include the ending clause in its description of Hillary Clinton, “a figure who was both first lady and secretary of state, flaws notwithstanding.”
The Tribune Editorial Board must have been fitted for shady boots before the DNC rolled into town.
— Craig Rimlinger, Rocky River, Ohio
Comment on protesters
The Aug. 21 online article “On second night of DNC, march outside Israeli consulate sees confrontation with police and demonstrators detained” contains the following interesting sentence: “The (protest) group’s website promises to ‘shut down the DNC’ and ‘make it great like ’68.’ It also shirks the idea of working with police to keep protesters safe at its nighttime demonstration.”
Do the demonstrators really “shirk” the idea of asking permission of the city and police to exercise their constitutional rights — or do they simply reject it, as a way of expressing their vision of democracy? And are the police really out to keep protestors safe? Safe from whom, other than themselves?
The passage as a whole reads like an editorial comment to me, embedded within what presents itself as a straight news story. I would hope that, in the future, Tribune editors would not shirk their duty to maintain some level of objectivity.
— Hugh Iglarsh, Chicago
Protesters misguided
With the protesters outside the Democratic National Convention, I thought this would be a good time to remind them how misguided they are when it comes to their anti-Israel stance. They should go back and look at why Israel was founded. It was because Jews were targeted for extermination. Actual genocide. And it was almost successful. Israel was created as the Jewish homeland after the end of World War II. And we, the U.S., have been friends ever since its founding. That needs to continue.
But we don’t have to agree with Israel all the time. And this administration hasn’t. It is not Israel that hasn’t agreed to a cease-fire. It is the terrorists who won’t agree — the ones who attacked Israel on Oct. 7.
— Michael J. Medley, Chicago
Time to change mindsets
I am so tired of the pro-Palestinian protesters. Have they forgotten who started this latest episode? Did Hamas think that Israel was not going to avenge that massacre? Has either side not learned their lessons after millennia of conflicts?
It is 2024. Both sides must change their mindsets and sit down to allow each side to live freely on their lands.
— Claudette P. Ledesma, Chicago
No need for intervention
I was extremely disappointed to read that Mayor Brandon Johnson intervened in a dispute between his administration and protesters aiming to stage anti-Israel protests close to the Democratic National Convention this week (“Johnson intervened on behalf of protest groups,” Aug. 17). The issue was being settled by the federal courts. The only reason for the mayor to become involved was to show his support for the anti-Israel factions in the city.
The mayor’s involvement to support the protesters demonstrates that he has no understanding that Hamas continues to endanger the Palestinians in Gaza by launching attacks from densely populated residential areas and underneath institutions such as schools and hospitals. His support is an affront to Chicago’s substantial Jewish population. The courts were allowing the demonstrations to take place in a way that would not disrupt the proceedings of the convention.
— Hillorie Morrison, Chicago
Editorial’s take on GOP
The editorial “Democrats have the narrative. But look at what Republicans have ceded.” (Aug. 20) bemoans the fact that the GOP has turned its back on the past by fully embracing Donald Trump. The problem, however, is that this missive takes a big gulp of MAGA Kool-Aid when it insists that “Republicans have morphed into a predominantly working-class party” and Democrats staged an “intraparty coup that axed Biden.”
“Working-class”? No. The party is fueled by mega-donors such as Elon Musk whose money helps unleash TV attack ads in swing districts and swing states (we don’t see them here) to assassinate the character of lawmakers who promote fair-share taxation to fund the government. In turn, these funders provide financial fuel to legislators who support eliminating environmental, health, anti-trust and consumer protection regulations that might infringe on end-of-year bonuses and company stock buybacks at the expense of real investment in jobs and productivity.
An example of the Tribune opinion team’s complicity was last week’s “she’s soft on crime” op-ed penned by the Heritage Foundation’s Zack Smith (“Harris trying to run from her record as prosecutor,” Aug. 15). The ink and space would be better served by bullet points explaining exactly how his foundation’s Project 2025 would gut federal oversight while replacing knowledgeable experts with pay-to-play party loyalists.
And a Democrat-led “coup” of President Joe Biden? Really? We all know what an attempted coup looks like; this isn’t that. But the Republican presidential candidate isn’t shy about saying he’d try a coup again if he alone thinks the upcoming election is “rigged.”
On the contrary, for the Tribune Editorial Board to parrot the latest flailing Republican talking points suggests it is fully onboard with the GOP’s current agenda. It is a pitiful display of partisan dismay.
— Bob Johnston, Chicago
Democrats’ divisiveness
The words “loser,” “sucker,” “weird” and “demented” are not usually used by a person seeking unity with their opponent, but that is exactly what President Joe Biden and the Democrats have said about former President Donald Trump.
Real “unity” involves listening to opponents’ views and respectfully having a dialogue with them in the hopes of finding common ground. Name-calling is not a part of the unity process.
The Democrats think they can have it both ways — ridicule the GOP and then seek unity. It doesn’t work that way.
— Mike Kirchberg, Chicago
Climate fight a priority
In preparing ourselves for the 2024 election, do we consider the subject of climate change seriously enough? Is this another year we are putting our head in the sand as to what is a reality?
We have all seen the climate-related destruction as it has been progressing in recent years. One of the presidential candidates wants to “drill, baby, drill” for more oil to fix an economic problem. In doing so, he gains the support of the oil industry and the climate change deniers while pushing this irresponsible insanity.
In the U.S., our track record addressing climate change has been considered by many as weak or worthless, but with the right leadership, there is no reason not to be making this issue a priority!
If we don’t make this a mandatory requirement, we will not be able to avoid a future of growing destruction.
— Raymond Hubbard, Sandwich, Illinois
Trump not a typical pol
If Donald Trump were able to deliver a speech much like the silver fork-tongued politicians — think Barack Obama — he would win in a landslide.
But Trump is not a politician. He is a building contractor. A businessman. He doesn’t communicate well from the stump. He doesn’t soothe or mesmerize the populous with b.s., a vital attribute to being a “successful” politician.
His inability to clearly articulate, communicate, focus and deliver his message could very well cost him the election.
— Sam Karambelas, Lincolnshire
Endorsements revealing
Let’s look at political endorsements. I find it very telling who endorses which political candidate. First, let’s look at Robert F. Kennedy Jr. His own family will not endorse him and is supporting Democrat Kamala Harris. A red flag against him, for sure.
Harris has endorsements from all living former Democratic presidents and many prominent Republicans, including former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger and former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, as well as retired Gen. Mark Milley.
Now, if we look at Donald Trump, we see conservative and long-standing Republicans not endorsing him, including his own vice president, Mike Pence, and several former members of his administration. More and more Republicans are publicly stating they will not support Trump. Adding salt to the wound, many lifelong Republicans are actively working against him; U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney is one that comes to mind.
The latest highly respected and very conservative Republican to come out publicly against Trump and endorse Harris is Judge J. Michael Luttig. He said: “In voting for Vice President Harris, I assume that her public policy views are vastly different from my own, but I am indifferent in this election as to her policy views on any issues other than America’s democracy, the Constitution and the rule of law, as I believe all Americans should be.” He said it is simply a matter of knowing right from wrong. He stated that Trump is a threat to our democracy.
Those who are supporting Trump must ask themselves this question: Why are so many formerly high-ranking, genuine Republicans, including former President George W. Bush, not endorsing Trump’s return to the presidency?
The answer is simple. It’s because Trump is a real and incredibly dangerous threat to our democratic republic. Whatever your political leanings, this election is really about democracy with Harris or a dictatorship with Trump. You choose which type of country you want to live in.
— Cynthia Kehoe, Elk Grove Village
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