Pastor Rick Warren's delving into the candidates' morals and faith was enlightening ("Rivals delve into politics and faith," Page A1, Aug. 17). What we learned is that Barack Obama is a thoughtful, intelligent man who answered the questions with honesty and conviction. John McCain came prepared with a set of stump-speech statements. Only the question as to his moral lapse elicited a short answer about his first marriage.
– Linda C. Hall, Rocklin
McCain's formulated answers
After watching the Saddleback Church interviews with presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama, hosted by Pastor Rick Warren, it was my distinct impression that I was watching two separate events. The first hour with Obama was a conversation; the second hour with McCain was a repeat of many of his stump speeches, with rapid answers that gave me the feeling that he had been fed the questions in advance by some overzealous insider and had formulated answers in anticipation.
– Barbara Krings, Carmichael
What did McCain hear?
The recent meeting of the presidential candidates with Pastor Rick Warren at Saddleback Church was very enlightening. I originally thought both candidates did a great job, with John McCain being especially sharp and quick to answer. Now I find that he was not sequestered, as originally quoted by Warren. Will the news media and McCain admit to or publish this information?
Electing a president is serious business. The American people deserve to hear the truth from both candidates in an unbiased forum, not one skewed to one side or the other.
– Jerry Messier, Lincoln
The real motive on offshore drilling
The Republican drive to expand offshore drilling is the only solution to two daunting problems: not insufficient oil production and high gasoline prices but, instead, how to return the favor of millions of dollars in contributions from oil interests to Republican political campaigns, and how to distract voters and appear to be doing something constructive so as to improve Republican candidates' chances on Nov. 4.
– Nicholas Alexander, Sacramento
A special program for lawmaker
I am disgusted by the article regarding Rep. Laura Richardson's financial affairs ("Congresswoman's Curtis Park home an eyesore, some say," Page A4, Aug. 16). Are we in California so desperate for public officials that anyone will do?
This is an elected public official who apparently can't manage her own finances, yet she holds office and helps to shape public policy. Her property went into foreclosure, then Washington Mutual reversed the foreclosure and gave it back to her. How exactly does that work? I'm sure there are many homeowners in California who would like to sign up for that program. I guess I missed the small print: You must be an elected official who holds public office to qualify for that program.
– Karen Chesmore, Roseville
Just stop at the red light
Upon reading Michael Bolin's letter ("A solution: Graduated fines," Aug. 16), I felt compelled to inform him that a much more simple solution to the red light tickets is not a socialist approach as he suggested. It is much simpler. Stop at the light. You stop, no ticket; no ticket, no fine.
– Jean-Louis Thuotte, Galt
Two who deserve the gold
Local radio and NBC Olympics badminton announcer Jim Kozimor and Sacramento Monarchs/Team USA basketball player Kara Lawson are already Olympic gold medal winners in my book ("In New York, Kozimor watches Olympic birdie," Page B3, Aug. 17). Although there are others who may have brought more talent and experience to these coveted Olympic positions, Kozimor and Lawson earned their jobs the old-fashioned way: patience, perseverance and hard work.
As reported in The Bee, Lawson was one of two candidates who went to every training session, tournament and game for Team USA. And The Bee profiled Kozimor as preparing hard for his network TV shot.
– Fred Hoffman, Herald
Where's leadership on library?
One of the differences between the way private industry is run and the way government agencies are run is how money is spent in solving problems. The recent handling of Sacramento County library problems is a good example. When it was determined that the library has millions of dollars in unpaid fines and unreturned items, plus some very serious staffing procurement issues, private industry would have fired the CEO and brought in a new CEO to correct the problems. Not Sacramento County government. Not only have they retained the CEO, but they are now going to spend $300,000 of our tax dollars to determine what the problem is!
This is leadership?
– Bob Blymyer, Sacramento Executive director, Sacramento County Taxpayers League
Look beyond the stereotypes
I believe that most citizens in Sacramento would agree that if a vehicle is stopped by a police officer, it should be because of probable cause ("Crime slowed by stops, some say," Page A1, Aug. 16). And I do believe that racial profiling exists in every city and town where a prominent number of people of color reside.
But this doesn't give an officer the right to simply pull over individuals because they are a certain race or fit a so-called negative stereotype. Most people watch television and read the print media on a daily basis, and these two mediums sometimes perpetuate negative stereotypes of people of color, which doesn't make a police officer immune to displaying this behavior. The key to solving this problem is for all individuls to learn about different races and cultures, and to look beyond negative stereotypes.
– Anthony D. Jordan, Sacramento
Credibility takes a dive
News reporting has gone Dumpster-diving in terms of credibility, with so many sources requesting anonymity because (to paraphrase a few) they weren't authorized to speak, weren't authorized to release the information, couldn't discuss the case publicly, the operation was classified, the sensitivity of the issue or the details of the deal hadn't been publicly announced.
Are readers simply supposed to keep the faith in terms of believability? Worse, have news agencies thrown in the towel and just learned to live with this mentality? Oh, for the good old days of honesty, integrity, and, most of all, accountability.
– Joan Walthall, South Lake Tahoe
