Controversy about tape

Re “McCain team accuses Times of ‘suppressing’ Obama video,” Oct. 29

This is a thank-you note to The Times.

Thank you for filtering the news for us common folks. I appreciate the work that you do for me because, as you know, I am not smart enough to think for myself.

Thank you for emphasizing the facts you deem important and ignoring others or burying them in the back of the paper so that I don’t get confused.

Thanks for standing on principle and not releasing the videotape of Barack Obama speaking at a party for Rashid Khalidi. It would have been more than I could handle!

Your stance on principle to honor your source is admirable. I take great comfort in knowing that if the tape was of the other candidate, you would release it, standing on the journalistic principle of the people’s right to know.

As more people disregard the mainstream media, I can only assume it is due to their inability to grasp the importance of what you do for us.

P.S. If you are not busy Tuesday, could you vote for me?

Tony Zini

Irvine

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If there is any shred of journalistic integrity left in your industry, please make the videotape of the Khalidi honorary dinner available to the public so that we can draw our own conclusions.

I understand you have stated that you are keeping a commitment to a source to not disclose it. Frankly, many of us in the country doubt that claim.

Please, do the right thing. Can you really afford to lose more readers and credibility?

Jon Franz

Atlanta

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I read with amazement of the brouhaha that is being stirred up by the McCain-Palin campaign concerning The Times’ withholding of a videotape in order to honor an agreement made with a source. Obama attended a party with a renowned Palestinian scholar! Without the tape, who knows exactly what went on!

Let’s all take a deep breath. Surely it’s obvious that we need a president who talks with, and listens to, both Palestinians and Israelis if we’re ever going to have peace in the Middle East.

Laurel Gord

Venice