Andrew Stephen ("Hating Hillary", 26 May) doesn't seem to allow for the possibility of believing both that Hillary Clinton has been subject to some foul sexist abuse and that she should not be the Democratic candidate. Reasons for opposing her include her support for the Iraq War, her threat to "obliterate" Iran and her way of handling a perception of feminine vulnerability by engaging in macho posturing.
In one statement in particular ("the overwhelmingly pro- Obama media - consciously or unconsciously - are following the agenda of Senator Barack Obama and his chief strategist, David Axelrod, to tear to pieces the first serious female US presidential candidate in history"), Stephen implies that sexist abuse of Hillary Clinton is being orchestrated by Obama and Axelrod. The fact is that supporters of both candidates have needed little or no incitement to abuse opponents with whatever comes to hand, and right-wing Republicans have piled in gleefully.
When Obama was being torn apart by the media a few weeks ago, Hillary's advice to him was, "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen." And she added: "I'm very comfortable in the kitchen."
Brian Fewster
Leicester
Bravo! Brilliant, balanced and comprehensive. I am a practising psychotherapist and have always been low-profile about my political views. But I am today, as Andrew Stephen predicted in his article, more resolved to take action, energised in part by my outrage at what used to be called "yellow journalism", now a euphemism for the kind of distorted and frankly stupid reporting that has characterised the campaign for the Democratic nomination. Thank you for this lucid exposition.
Marilyn Silverman
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