Weeks ago I wrote a letter expressing my disappointment in John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin for his running mate. I was out of town for a few weeks, but when I returned my friends said that someone wrote a letter to The Pilot about my letter and had "ripped me a new one."

I never read the response, but I would direct anyone who criticized my view of Palin's appointment to listen to the deluge of criticism of her now coming from the McCain campaign.

Even Fox is reporting that in interviews prior to her selection she caused several concerns, including her "problems with geography." For example, she thought Africa was a country and South Africa was a part of that country.

She also could not identify the countries involved in NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), even though the name of the agreement should have given her all she needed. Like Groucho Marx's mercy question on "You Bet Your Life": "Who's buried in Grant's tomb?"

What truly bothers me is that it appears the Fox "News" Channel knew all this ahead of time and never reported it.

They truly tried to put lipstick on a pig, but it was still a you-know-what.

Peter Mulcahy

Pinehurst