Kevin Smith, in his Aug. 20 letter, indicates "that attacks on Obama supporters are nothing more than an opportunity to shine a light on McCain's record." I would welcome that as long as the light shines with equal intensity on Barack Obama.

Smith's contention that it is somehow equitable to compare an unrepentant bomber of a federal building to lobbyists, most of whom are participating in a perfectly legal profession, is ludicrous.

His statement that the Bush administration is "the most discredited and corrupt in history" is simply a regurgitation of the same, well-worn trash put out by the media and organizations like MoveOn.org. If there was any evidence to support his contention, the Democrat-controlled Congress would have initiated impeachment proceedings long ago.

Let's be blunt about it. Most of the lobbyists with which McCain is associated are capitalists, an integral part of an economic system that has elevated more people out of poverty than any other economic system in history. Do they need oversight? Certainly.

Obama's associates are not so favorably viewed by the vast majority of the voters in this country. Ayers and Dohrn are terrorists. Alice Palmer, "a good public servant," according to Obama, is a communist along with Obama's mentor, Frank Davis. Rezko is a convicted felon. Mazen Asbahi, Obama's former Arab and Muslim adviser, is a radical Muslim. ACORN and The Woods Fund are discredited socialist organizations. And let's not forget the Rev. Wright.

If you have no knowledge of these folks or of their association with or impact on Obama, that is by design, exactly what Obama and the media intended.

So, by all means, let's put that powerful light to work. You'll have to wield it yourself, however, because you'll not get much help from the liberal media.

David Kilpatrick

Pinehurst