Not sure about those undecideds

Re “What’s up with undecided voters?” Oct. 31

Not one of these undecided voters expressed concern regarding John McCain’s vice presidential choice. Given that McCain would be the oldest person elected to the office and that he has had serious health issues, I would think that a close look at his pick would give these folks pause.

Because these voters are supposedly not overtly partisan, and assuming they are not swayed by the negative campaign of lies and distortion, the distinct possibility that Sarah Palin could be president in the near future should weigh heavily on their minds -- much more so than race or any other factors they’re searching for to make up their minds.

Furthermore, I would think they would be concerned about what this first executive decision reveals about McCain’s temperament, his motivations and where his loyalty lies -- apparently, with pandering to his base and not with what would be best for the country he supposedly puts first.

Sue Collins

Hermosa Beach

::

I think it’s commendable that some of the voters interviewed are trying to learn as much about the candidates as they can before committing. But I might suggest to one of them that he’s never going to learn anything useful listening to Rush Limbaugh.

Limbaugh and Sean Hannity have so corroded the state of political dialogue in this country that they have destroyed not only the boundaries of reasonable debate but public confidence in political discourse itself.

Our political culture is now made up of vainglorious dolts who have figured out that the easiest way to keep their own names in the public eye is to beat said public over the head with ever larger and more sophisticated rhetorical bludgeons, usually with little or nothing in the way of factual information to back up their arguments. And the public, by and large, seems to have become content to stand there and let themselves be bludgeoned -- after all, it’s easier than looking up the facts for one’s self, isn’t it?

John A. Small

Tishomingo, Okla.