Mail Call

'When "Barry" Became Barack': Readers of our cover story were intrigued by Barack Obama's youthful road to self-discovery, as mirrored in his name change. "Barack retracted his boyhood surrender, replaced shame with pride and reclaimed his identity and birthright," said a self-described "boomer-aged white woman." While one saw our report as "fawning," another Hillary supporter wrote, "Now I am no longer as anxious if Barack gets the nomination. The enhanced understanding he has experienced is invaluable. I only wish he would wait eight more years."

What's in a Name?
Having a challenging name myself, I find Barack Obama's candidacy for president very encouraging ("When Barry Became Barack," March 31). He hasn't altered his identity in order to be accepted, as many immigrants feel obligated to do. I am sure his candidacy will go a long way in educating us all why neither gender nor a foreign name should affect one's perception of an individual.
Vivek Mehrotra
Santa Clara, Calif.

May I suggest a cover with a photo of a young Hillary Clinton as a commencement speaker at Wellesley or as a law student at Yale? The cover story could contain details of her lifelong dedication to the service of others and her country. She showed great leadership qualities when she was young. I appreciate Anna Quindlen's overall insight into Sen. Hillary Clinton that balances Jonathan Alter's promotion of Sen. Barack Obama. People in several states have not voted yet. Is it fair to imply Obama is the Democratic nominee for president?
Hannah Provence Donigan
Commerce, Mich.

Your cover story on Barack Obama reminds me of another Illinois politician who seemed to be soft-spoken and able to move people to great things. He also had a humble beginning and got this country through some very difficult times. With little Washington, D.C., experience, he was able to surround himself with good advisers. People questioned whether he could be commander in chief. If Barack Obama can be one quarter as good a president as Abraham Lincoln, he will be many times better than anyone we have seen in a generation. Originally from Chicago, I know whom I will vote for in the fall.
Alan H. Weiner
Berwyn Heights, Md.

Helping Our Iraqi War Veterans
As someone whose life was greatly enhanced by the GI Bill, I commend Anna Quindlen for "Because It's Right" (March 31). After three years in the Marine Corps during the Korean War, I was able to return home to my Minnesota farming community and go to college, instead of working as a day laborer. At a time when our government is wrestling with how to protect the investments of Americans in the stock market and subprime mortgages, there is no better investment than an updated GI Bill for our overstressed veterans seeking to readjust to civilian life.
Donald D. Gerdts
Huntington Beach, Calif.

Editor's Note
In "The World According To John McCain" (April 7), NEWSWEEK described a meeting at the 2006 Munich security conference in which Sen. John McCain allegedly erupted at the German foreign minister, whom McCain thought was being insufficiently tough on the brutal regime in Belarus. There are, however, conflicting versions of the episode, and we should have made that clear. Other people who were in the room at the time dispute the account, and several of those who were there, including those who recall a brief flare-up of anger from McCain (which the senator denies), believed the incident was minor, based on a misunderstanding caused by a translation problem, and was quickly cleared up. Senator McCain should have been given an opportunity to give his version of events in the original story, and we regret that the piece did not note the different recollections of the moment, including the denials that there was any display of anger.