To the editor:

The McCain campaign says it may allow only token media access to its new celebrity VP nominee before the elections. Senior McCain strategist Rick Davis said, “We’re going to do whatever we think is in our best interest – under terms and conditions the campaign decides.” But if the McCain campaign really wants to put the country first, they should let us ask her questions. Free Sarah Palin!

The American people want to hear, from her own mouth, what this nearly unknown candidate believes about the issues. Isolating her from reporters and filtering her through scripted media appearances only emphasizes that she is not ready for the job or else that her views are so extreme that mainstream Americans would be turned off. If she can’t answer questions from a few reporters without special terms and conditions, how can she handle the serious problems and dangers that face America?

Sneaking this little-known nominee past the American public into the White House based on only John McCain’s two-meeting vetting process, a stump speech and a few questions asked by hand-picked reporters would be criminal. We voters need to get acquainted with her views on issues like health care, the failing economy, abortion, abstinence-only sex education, teaching creationism in school, climate change, combating international terrorism, banning books and stem-cell research. Eight years of Dick Cheney has shown that America cannot afford electing another politician to our country’s second highest office only to find out her real agenda after it is too late.

Mark Stone,
Lawrence