Qualification Conundrum

I agree that Sarah Palin doesn't have the experience for the presidency, but there's no indication that, at 72, McCain is not going to live another four years, and she can get the needed experience on the job ["When a Vice President Steps Into the Top Job," September 15-22].

 Besides, integrity and intelligence are equally as important. Look at Ronald Reagan. His experience was one term as governor, and he proved to be one of the finest presidents this country has ever had. Why aren't you concerned about the lack of experience of Obama, who is running for the "Top Job"? He has proved his ineptitude through his very limited experience. It scares me to death to consider this country being run by him. Why not talk about his lack of experience instead of Sarah Palin's?

Wayne Ramey
Jacksonville , Ore.

Sarah Palin's stance on abortion is an undue assumption of superiority and insulting to women. No choice for a woman or even a teenager or child regardless of rape or incest. Does she hold that same insensitive attitude where violence occurred? Palin could be one heartbeat away from controlling 300 million Americans.

Heide Porter
Edgewood , Md.

"When a Vice President Steps Into the Top Job" states that questions have been raised about Governor Palin's inexperience and that she is too untested to be a heartbeat away from the presidency. It goes on to cite Senator McCain's age and medical history as the reason to be concerned. No place in this thesis does writer Kenneth Walsh mention that Senator Obama is the least credentialed of the four nominees who have been nominate to occupy the office of the president immediately on January 20, 2009. That is the fact that frightens me. Michael Barone's "The Battle of the Party Themes" in the same issue, points out some of Governor Palin's noteworthy accomplishments. I have yet to see any evidence of Senator Obama's accomplishments, especially during his short term experience in the Senate. The Democratic Party should consign him to 8 to 16 more years of seasoning before letting him in the presidential race again.

Tom Welsh
Sarasota , Fla.