This is in response to Kevin Fomalont letter in which he writes "Obama has the judgment, the experience, and the leadership skills to become the next president." I believe Obama does not have any of those qualities in abundance enough to be President, but John McCain does.

Obama did not have the judgment to support the troop surge in Iraq last year, but John McCain did. Obama does not have the experience to know how to push progressive legislation through Congress, but John McCain does. Obama's lackluster leadership skills were exposed when his aide gave a "wink-wink" to Canada over the NAFTA issue, while John McCain has done nothing but lead throughout his Senate career!

I believe many students will come to the realization that we have a guy in this race that is ready to pick up the presidential mantle and lead our country to find solutions on some very difficult issues -- and that man is John McCain.

Chris McMonagle

junior-political science

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Mr. Fomalont's letter falls short of substantiating the experience and judgment he claims that Barack Obama holds.

Regarding Obama's experience, three years as the junior U.S. senator from Illinois does not a commander-in-chief make. While Obama supporters are quick to rally around his claims of "change," they struggle to identify anything that he has actually accomplished.

For 20 years, Obama has attended a church with a pastor whose comments are not only racist, but entirely in conflict with Obama's message of unity. It is unbelievable that Obama would choose such a man to marry him and his wife, baptize his children and most significantly, be his mentor. Does this really speak well to the judgment that Mr. Fomalont refers to?

Finally, Mr. Fomalont should not be so quick to jump on a single verbal gaffe made by John McCain. If Obama is permitted to "borrow" an entire speech from another politician, surely another candidate can be allowed to misspeak if he also accounts for his error.

Obama, while an excellent orator, falls very short of the actual qualifications to be the next president. Perhaps Obama supporters should take a cue from their candidate's everlasting theme of change and start evaluating Obama on something more than his personality. That would be true change.

Chelsea Brown

junior-journalism