Regarding "Nugent backs down from Obama jabs" (Page B1, Saturday), In the 19th century, P.T. Barnum is said to have paraphrased H. L. Mencken: "Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people."

So now the top Texas Republicans are carefully wording their shock at Ted Nugent's racist denegation of President Obama - something Nugent has been doing for years.

Greg Abbot knew exactly what he was up to when he got Nugent to join his campaign for governor. These entire Texas Republican primaries for all state, federal and most local offices seem focused on the notion that their base is motivated only by attacks on the president and his policies.

In addition to President Obama, must Texas voters be so disrespected to win an election? Alas, in the 21st century, Barnum's old adage still rings true in Texas.

Aubrey Tucker, Surfside Beach


Just keep rockin'

To be clear, I have never agreed with Ted Nugent's politics, but what I did agree with was his rock and roll. How utterly lamentable it was to see a headline in the city and state pages that Ted Nugent was "apologizing."

Ted is loud, obnoxious, distasteful, inflammatory, controversial, uncompromising, and, until recently, unapologetic. He is a rock star who, unfortunately, decided to wade into politics, and it is so sad to see him prostituting himself for the Republican Party.

Now he has Perry, McCain, Paul, Cruz and even Abbott telling him to go to his room and be a good boy. Yes, some of what has come out of his mouth is both nauseating and incomprehensible, but I just want to know how much apologizing Ted is going to do now that he has started down this road. Is he next going to apologize for singing "Cat Scratch Fever"?

People ask why Abbott agreed to campaign with Nugent. What I want to know is why Nugent agreed to campaign with Abbott.

Stick to rock and roll, Ted - it is there you can "stick it to the man." It appears now, though, that you have become "the man."

Brenden McBride, Katy