R. VanHoover's Aug. 1 letter advocates that presidential candidates be judged by their character and platforms. This approach could represent a dicey situation for his candidate, Barack Obama

I was always taught that an excellent way to judge a person's character was through assessing his friends or associates. Much has been revealed relative to Obama's associates.

First, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, his spiritual adviser and mentor over 20 years, was revealed to be an Afrocentric, anti-American pastor. Obama first denied knowledge of Wright's extreme positions on race and America before later being forced to renounce him.

For example, did Obama not know that his church, through Wright, had bestowed the High Trumpeter Award on the avowed racist and anti-Semite Farrakhan? Wright has referred to Farrakhan "as a catalyst for change." (There's that word.)

Next up, Obama's good buddy, Tony Rezko. A convicted felon, Rezko was a long-term friend and a serious contributor to Obama's political campaigns. Rezko was involved in a real estate deal with Obama that the senator has since said was a big mistake in judgment.

Obama has distributed to charity $160,000 of the more than a quarter million received from Rezko and his associates.

Finally, there is the association with Bill Ayres. Ayres is a former unrepentant Weatherman terrorist who has hosted an Obama Illinois campaign event in his home.

On the subject of platforms, that's difficult to assess. It appears that the "change" heralded by Obama applies to his platform. The latest example of change is his switch to tepid support for offshore drilling. Previously, he was vehemently opposed until it became apparent that 70 percent of voters were in favor.

Nothing to do with politics as usual. Obama states he is above that.

Michael J. Keogh, Pinehurst