Trump, Putin can’t be believed
Staten Island: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said President Trump brought up Russia’s meddling in our 2016 election with Russian President Putin at their private G-20 meeting. Tillerson went on to say he thinks Trump is rightly focused on moving forward from something that may be an “intractable disagreement” at this point. Putin denies meddling and wants proof. The “intractable disagreement’ comes from our intelligence agencies that concluded that Russia hacked the election. On July 6, Trump equivocated and said he thought it was Russia or China or other people or other countries that could have interfered.
There is no evidence for that. U.S. intelligence has named only Russia as the culprit. A Jan. 6 report based on the work of three intelligence agencies said Putin ordered a broad campaign to help elect Trump. It has also been revealed that Russia hacked into the voting systems of 21 states. Russia says Trump “accepted” Putin’s denials. So, who do you believe? Trump, who can’t cope with losing the popular vote in the election? Putin, who pulled out all the stops to get Trump elected? Or our intelligence agencies? Michele Corelli San Francisco: With Trump, it is always smokescreen after smokescreen, and never any answers. In Germany, when asked about Russian interference in our election, he starts whining about how Obama did nothing. First of all, this is not true. Obama communicated with Putin directly and told him to stop. He also kicked a large number of diplomats out of the U.S. The question now becomes, if Trump believes the Russians meddled, then what is “he” going to do about it now.
Jimmy Layton
Who’s the biggest liar?
Staten Island: The hardest part is trying to figure out who lies the most, Trump or Putin: Let’s call it a tie. Jay Silberman
Bashing Jefferson is wrong
Chicago: I see no utility in publishing Shaun King’s takedown of Thomas Jefferson (“Thomas Jefferson was a horrible man who owned 600 human beings, raped them, and literally worked them to death,” July 7). Calling Jefferson names apart from a historical discussion of slavery is useless and divisive. If you are a human being, your ancestors were a bunch of rapists and murderers in our eyes, but that’s not who Jefferson was in his time and it doesn’t erase his importance. King is vandalizing our history for some cheap racial politics.
Lloyd Sullivan
Able to march
Manhattan: July is Disability Pride Month. Sunday July 9, is the disability pride parade in Manhattan. The public needs to see us for our abilities, not our disabilities. If we take the “dis” out of the word, we have the word abilities, and this is what we all need to be noticed for, our abilities, and do not look down on us. It is ever more so important to get the word out that we are individuals. I prefer the term, “altered abilities.” And finally, to President Trump: Please respect everyone, those with altered abilities, and learn to see us for who we are.
Amy Rosenfeld
Seniors need health care help
Medford, L.I.: In June I became Medicare eligible, which means I lost my group coverage and was forced to pick up Part D prescription coverage. What a joke! Every co-pay has more than quadrupled and some medications aren’t even covered, like Creon which I have to take for chronic pancreatitis. I contacted four different pharmaceutical programs but if you’re on Medicare you can’t qualify for any assistance. So I’m just screwed. Hey, President Trump: How about taking care of us seniors who desperately need a break? This country can do a lot better. Elizabeth Miserendino
Misplaced leaders
Staten Island: Bill de Blasio goes to Germany to . . . what? He should have taken Melissa MarkViverito with him and then fly to Cuba. Liberals, God help America! Lee Heydolph
Poetic Trump
Los Angeles: In 1898, while contributing to the political satirical quarterly “Broadsides,” Irish poet, playwright and political activist William Butler Yeats wrote the following: “Once upon a time, and a very good time it was, when pigs had wings and monkeys chewed tobacco and birds made nests in old men’s beards and houses were thatched with ten penny loaves and the streets were paved with pancakes, a pig ran through those streets with a knife and fork stuck in his back squealing ‘EAT ME! EAT ME!’ ” Yeats was referring to what was to him the inexplicable Irish adherence to the British crown. He could well have been talking about the citizenry in this country who chumped themselves voting for Donald Trump. There’s just one word for them and what they’ve done to the rest of us: OINK!
Steven Robert Wollenberg
Crossing that bridge
Bayside: Voicer Matthew Mari is certainly well intentioned in recommending that the Queens Midtown Tunnel be named after the late Gov. Mario Cuomo. But, virtually regardless of who the tunnel is named after, it won’t make any difference if the traffic reporters do not use the name when reporting traffic. The Queensboro Bridge is “The Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge,” but it is invariably reported as the 59th St. Bridge. The Battery Tunnel is not called the Hugh Carey Tunnel and the West Side Highway is not called The Joe DiMaggio Highway. When I called Radio CBS regarding these errors in reporting, I was told that “old habits are hard to break.” But they rightly call the Interboro the Jackie Robinson and the Triboro the RFK. They should report all the names correctly. Saul Spindel
Quadruple hell
Long Branch, N.J.: What’s worse than being a Knick and a Jet fan? How about having Donald Trump for President and Chris Christie for governor? It’s tantamount to having HIV and cancer at the same time. Lenzy Kelley
Forget Yanks-Mets trade
Manhattan: Re “Yankees, Mets can help each other out with Addison Reed deal at trade deadline” (July 7): Columnist John Harper’s bias is showing. As usual, the Mets are expected to take a backseat to the Yankees. Harper wrote, “Help each other just this once. . .what’s the harm?’’ I’ll tell you the harm: The Yankees would be the only ones benefiting from the Mets trading Addison Reed; the Mets would get the shaft to make the Yankees look good; and I’d rather see Lucas Duda with anyone but the Yankees. Whether we’re “smart enough” or not, we Met fans stick by them, and whether we go anywhere or not, we’ll do it under our own steam and not on the Yankee’s condescension and patronization. Let’s go Mets!
Lynne Henderson
Keep Bird in the Yankee nest
Boca Raton, Fla.: Regarding Bill Madden’s column, “Crippling injuries and Greg Bird mystery — which is exasperating Yankees brass — dashing promising season” (July 7): The comment by a Yankee official about Greg Bird not wanting to play? What is he suggesting? That this player is faking an injury? After Bird’s amazing start two years ago when he was hitting home runs in bunches and with a perfect lefthanded swing for the Stadium, I am surprised that a Yankee “official” would say such a thing. SAUL LOEB/AFP Bird has a special talent. And general manager Brian Cashman has praised him in the past for his terrific hitting ability. Bird’s swing is a thing of beauty. I certainly hope the Yankees are not giving up on him already!
Alan Lieberman
Judge should preside at first
Fort Mill, S.C.: Why don’t the Yankees work Aaron Judge out at first base? They have a plethora of good outfielders now and in the future and, with his size and reach, Judge would be able to corral a lot of errant throws before they hit the ground or go past him. He’s a gifted athlete who should have little problem moving to that position.
Ron Lemmo
Still bettin’ on Betances
North Branford, Conn: I don’t have the answer, but the recent problems with Dellin Betances could be caused by his move from closer to eighth inning set up man. Hope he figures it out. He is a good one. Jonathan Mix
Great summer job opening
Levittown, L.I.: I just read this listing in the Daily News’ classified section: Great summer jobs available; work in very nice weather; work for a boss who, no matter how badly you do, will tell anyone within earshot how great you are and that you try really hard. Salary in the millions with eight weeks vacation. Apply to New York Mets.
Wayne O’Connor