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Candidates

The article on UC Irvine Prof. Shawn W. Rosenberg’s studies is depressing because it confirms platitudes, not about voters, but about political scientists (“Superficial Traits Rated as Pivotal in TV-Age Elections,” Part A, Oct. 29). Having shown subjects photos of mock and real political candidates, he concludes that many people choose candidates by appearance.

What else did they have to go on? Give them tapes of candidates reading nursery rhymes, and they’ll probably choose according to voice. Give them pictures of naked candidates, and you’ll probably be able to chart and graph all sorts of amusing and useless correlations.

DAVID EGGENSCHWILER

Los Angeles

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