Don’t blame the hackers, blame the perpetrators: Your Say

Letter to the editor:

Let me start by saying both candidates are horrid and flawed. I cannot believe, as Americans, this is the best we can do to represent both parties in an election. Be that as it may, I agree with your comment saying that “if you fear something will become public, don’t do it” in the editorial “What WikiLeaks hack says about Clinton.” However, to bemoan the Russian government as seeking to damage democracy is going a bit far. I am not a Donald Trump fan but I am thankful that Russia (or whoever) hacked these emails and has exposed Hillary Clinton as the sneaky, conniving, lying person she is. Just as I am glad The New York Times exposed Trump.

People do not regret their crimes unless they’re caught, and this is what it’s all about. The Democratic National Committee and Clinton’s staff got caught and they’re embarrassed by it. If this is influencing the election by exposing the ever elusive truth, then I am all for it.

We all know we can’t get the truth from our news media. It’s a shame it has to come from another country. That is why this election is so contentious this year. Americans are tired of Washington and career politicians like the Clintons. This has allowed a candidate like Trump to become the voice of Americans. And his supporters will ignore anything thrown at them and stand by his side. If anything, it strengthens their resolve.

Maybe if the news media would do an honest job of reporting the truth, other parties/countries wouldn’t have to step in and do it for us. The American public has been duped by both candidates and the news media.

Doug Burns; Arcanum, Ohio

Letter to the editor:

First, the source of these leaks is irrelevant for the analysis, except to challenge their authenticity. Second, Donald Trump has nothing to do with these leaks and he should be left out of the discussion completely. Clinton and her campaign’s actions need to be assessed and judged on their own.

Our press is supposed to be the safeguard of our democracy. Now, a large part of the press is acting as the marketing wing of the Democratic Party. Without an independent press, a democracy cannot survive.

Stephen M. Smith; Essex Fells, N.J.

Facebook comments are edited for clarity and grammar:

I voted for Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama in the 2008 democratic primaries. I won’t this presidential election, after having my eyes opened to the corruption at her core. I wasn’t going to vote for Trump either, but I just might now that I know how badly the establishment doesn’t want him to burst the happy, little bubble the Clintons have been living in for decades.

— Michelle Cooper

Well, there aren’t any criminal emails and nothing about Clinton we don’t already know. Having said that, is Trump the answer? I think not.

Maybe Republicans could try House Speaker Paul Ryan next time? Someone who’s at least moderate enough to appeal to the broader electorate?

— William Worsham

It really doesn’t matter who hacked the emails. If the emails are real (and no one has said they aren’t), then they present a grim picture of the person who claims to be our savior. Clinton says one thing to get votes but in paid, private speeches says entirely different things.

— Steve Long