Here are some excerpts from the letters we printed today about Sarah Palin:

The Speech

I am a former Republican (voted for Bush both times) and was disappointed with Palin's speech. I saw it as a lesson in oversimplified political rhetoric. She had very little substance in her words as she threw cheap political zingers while she sidestepped every major issue concerning Americans today, such as the economy, energy, education (especially in science and math), immigration, housing and health care (especially concerning veterans), and Iraq (besides her view that we're apparently winning).

I was sincerely impressed by Sarah Palin's speech. She was humorous, well-spoken, passionate and sincere. Why does it bother everyone that she stands up for what she believes? Isn't that what we want of our politicians – honesty and courage?

The Record

Palin inherited a town with zero debt and left it with an indebtedness of over $22 million, most of it for a sports complex, postponing a sewage treatment plant the city lacked.

We have known Sarah Palin and of Sarah Palin for more then 20 years. I worked for the borough mayor and she with (and was) the Wasilla mayor. Even longtime women in the political arena say it is sexist to refer to Sarah as a freshman anything (do any refer to Obama like that?). While I admit that I am biased, why not have some new blood in that "good ole boy" system that is our Washington of today?

Alaska is a state that cannot be run by someone with a weak backbone or vision.

(One more in extended entry)

It's interesting how two (million) people can look at the same person and evaluate her so differently -- a poem about blind men and an elephant comes to mind. Throw in a little more rancor among the blind men and you've got this election.

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