Anchorage Daily News

It was news, just not front page

Yes, by running for vice president, Gov. Palin has opened up herself and her family to special and necessary scrutiny. Yes, the news about her pregnant daughter made national news, and it was appropriate for this news to also be in your paper. And yes, it was insensitive and unkind of you to put it as the leading headline on your front page.

-- Lee and Evelyn Cage

Eagle River

Palin's pro-life? Maybe her own

Parade and humiliate your 17-year-old daughter in front of the world, now that's love! Hide a pregnancy for seven months and then risk the life of that special needs baby at 36 weeks gestation because it's not politically convenient to be in labor, now that's love!

Our governor may be "pro-life" but I'm afraid she means her own.

-- Stacey Murphy

Anchorage

Leadership ability is overrated

If Sarah Palin is such a great leader, such a great governor, then why do many of the communities in her own state live by third world conditions? Why do many communities lack running water? Why do many communities have to transport their sewage to a tundra pond in a five-gallon bucket for disposal? Why are "landfills" in many of these communities just places on the ground where people throw their trash? Why does gasoline cost $6.25 in many communities? How can she lead a nation, when she cannot even provide aid to the communities under her governorship? Go out to the rural villages and look at their sewage treatment and collections systems. Go out and drink the water. You will see that her leadership has not helped those that need it most.

-- Dana Diehl

Anchorage

Palin is not ready for this office

John McCain is pandering. He has insulted every hard working politically active (Republican) woman in this country, except for one. He has insulted the second highest office in the country and the world. He has threatened the office of the president of the United States.

Sarah may develop into a woman capable of taking the second highest office in the land, but neither John McCain nor the rest of us know of anything in her background or her limited political and governmental experience that comes near being ready for this office.

-- Suzanne McCausland

Palmer

Politics is McCain's main objective

Wow, 18 months in office, and only one abuse of power scandal. Palin is set to be a Republican vice president. McCain's choice says a lot.

Palin follows the Republican form of firing any public servant who values the integrity of his work over loyalty to his boss. Palin fired public safety commissioner and former Police Chief Walt Monegan.

McCain recklessly chose someone he hadn't vetted. He hopes to take back evangelicals from Obama and that Hillary supporters will vote for anyone female.

It's not Palin's fault. But it displays rash decision-making and cynical pandering.

Obama treats us like adults. America hasn't seen that in a long time.

Meanwhile, McCain's choice has made it clear: he puts politics first and country second.

-- Chris Benz

Anchorage

Did Palin's daughter have a choice?

You quote Sarah Palin as saying, "We're proud of Bristol's decision to have her baby . . ." Does this imply that Sarah believes Bristol had a choice, to have or not to have the baby? It seems so to me and is an interesting comment given Sarah's stated views on abortion. Has the reality of her daughter's situation altered her views?

-- Sondra Dexter, former Alaskan

Green Valley, Ariz.

We need to keep Palin in Alaska

I just don't understand all the hoopla about a candidate's experience or lack of experience. Common sense and good judgment are much more important to me. Frank Murkowski had years of Senate experience, but he was a disaster as a governor.

Obama and Palin may be a little short on experience, but they have the judgment and common sense to seek advice from those who do have the experience. Obama demonstrated that with his choice of Biden as a running mate.

I will probably go with the Obama/Biden ticket because we need Sarah here.

-- Becky Beard

Anchorage

A great honor for Alaska

I am an Alaskan working down in Colorado. I just want to say how proud I am of Sarah Palin getting selected for the VP slot. What an honor to our state. It sounds like this time it will be "Mrs. Smith goes to Washington."

-- Karin Have

Durango, Colo.

Ask Ketchikan voters about Palin

Having just finished watching the Wednesday evening edition of the Republican National Convention as well as Gov. Palin's speech, I must express my dismay at the nasty, mean-spirited tone and words used by the speakers. There was hypocrisy contained in Palin's claim to have told Washington "Thanks but no thanks for that Bridge to Nowhere," when she went to Ketchikan during her run for governor and told the people there she felt their pain at being told they were nowhere and that she and they would "make a good team as we progress that bridge project." When Congress removed the earmark language for the bridge but left the money, Palin used it elsewhere and has yet to go back to Ketchikan to explain her decision to the people as promised.

Palin is quick to adopt the "slash and burn" tactics employed by her political party in elections. The "outsider" is rapidly working her way "inside."

-- Gwen Burson

Girdwood

Governor's behavior disgraceful

Gov. Palin, with her behavior in her acceptance speech, actually made me feel ashamed that my state (not to mention Jesus) is represented by a hypocrite. I would expect dignity through leading by example and demonstrating the values she holds dear, not negative attacks. One must behave like Christ if one expects Christ to be one's savior. How can we take you seriously when you say "God bless America" and you do not live up to the ideals and values of your religion?

-- Ivan Bacon

Anchorage

Buying condoms no easy matter

If Sarah Palin's 17 year old daughter's pregnancy is a private matter, then so is my right "to choose." Since we are on the topic, I would also like to point out the difficulty our youngsters face when trying to purchase condoms. At my grocery store, a sexually active teen (such as Bristol) has to approach the pharmacy to purchase condoms. After hours, teens have to approach the customer service desk and hope the pharmacy has remembered to stock condoms. I have tried to purchase condoms at the customer service desk twice and both times they were not stocked. If this is the agony our sexually active teens (such as Bristol) have to face no wonder they are having children.

-- Anna Hilbruner

Anchorage

Attention, letter writers: Send opinions on Palin

The world wants to know what Alaskans think about Sarah Palin. Here's a chance for you to be part of that discussion.

What would you say to Americans about our governor-turned-vice-presidential nominee?

Give us your thoughts, 50 words or less, about Sarah Palin, addressed to a national audience, and we'll share them with the world. (With all the interest in Palin, our web site is seeing record-breaking traffic from readers outside Alaska.)

Send your email to letters@adn.com and include a daytime phone number.

-- Matt Zencey, editorial page editor

ADVERTISEMENT