Two candidates, two different treatments in the P-G

It's no secret that the Post-Gazette serves as a shill for the Democratic Party. If anyone needed more proof, just take a look at the two recent articles detailing local visits by Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama ("Here for the Money: Obama Makes Quick Fund-Raising Stop Downtown," June 21) and Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani ("Giuliani Makes Quick Stop in City: Republican Rudy Giuliani Gets a Taste of the Strip District," June 28).

Both men made brief stops in town for the same purpose (to raise money for their campaigns), but the accounts of their visits couldn't have been more different. The article about Senator Obama quotes people as saying how the senator was "inspirational" and "mesmerizing," and it talks about how "he generates excitement." The article about Mr. Giuliani says that he used a 10-month-old girl for a "choreographed" photo opportunity, and it details how the former mayor was "happy to use" a tragedy "to criticize the current Democratic presidential candidates."

Even the two pictures accompanying the articles were a joke. Mr. Obama was seen triumphantly waving, while Mr. Giuliani was seen awkwardly stuffing a slice of pizza into his mouth. I have no special allegiance to either political party right now (they have both messed things up beyond belief), but I still find this kind of "journalism" to be shameful.

Seriously, does the Post-Gazette not realize that anyone with half a brain can clearly figure out what it is trying to do here? Do you really think that your readers are that dumb? I'm guessing that, like most liberal elitists, your response to the latter would be a resounding "yes."

TIM HANNAN
South Fayette

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The news that fits

Once again columnist Jack Kelly refuses to let the facts get in the way of his column.

He attacks the coverage of the war by the "mainstream media," particularly the lack of coverage of the Anbar Salvation Council, and suggests a conspiracy of silence ("Big Battle, Small News: Mainstream Media Virtually Ignore the U.S. Push in Iraq," June 24).

It may surprise Mr. Kelly that the readers of The New York Times have been reading about the ASC since November 2006. Other articles appeared in February, March and April of 2007. The long-overdue offensive to root out insurgents has been extensively covered in our nation's newspapers. Next to Mr. Kelly's space was an extremely informative column by Trudy Rubin of the Philadelphia Inquirer, another bastion of the "mainstream media."

Mr. Kelly should get his facts straight before attacking his fellow members of the media.

GREGORY M. CHRISTY
Altoona

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McCoffee myth

While I heartily agree with your editorial concerning the Hickey Freeman suit ("Torts and Trousers," June 27), I was dismayed to see once again the McDonald's case brought up as an example of a "law-crazy culture."

The McDonald's case has entered the realm of mythology -- grist for right-wing talk-radio hosts, who conveniently ignore the actual facts of the case, to wit: The plaintiff in question (a 79-year-old woman) was attempting to remove the lid from a cup of coffee. She was not driving, by the way, nor was the car in motion, when the coffee spilled into her lap.

A surgeon determined that she suffered third-degree burns of her inner thighs and privates, and was hospitalized for eight days. She asked for a settlement of $20,000, not millions. But McDonald's refused a settlement and let the case come to trial. The company lost, with the judge stating that McDonald's conduct was callous and willful.

The resulting fines and penalties were subsequently reduced to around $600,000, not the "millions" that mythology has suggested. Even then, the plaintiff and McDonald's later settled -- for an amount that has not been revealed -- but not the millions that has entered the realm of urban legend.

By the way, McDonald's makes millions of dollars in coffee sales in just days, and they balked at a $20,000 settlement? Please, don't give this canard further traction.

BILL TADLER
Ben Avon

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Paris, always

Now that Paris Hilton is out of jail and moved on with her life, maybe the media can spare the rest of us from her turbulent life. Please!

DAVE GRADY
Carrick

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Teach languages

The recent decision of the state board of education to drop a proposal for all students to learn at least one "world" language in addition to their instruction in English is unfortunate for the students, their communities and Pennsylvania business and industry. ("State board refuses to require foreign language studies because of high cost," June 25).

Familiarity with other languages and cultures is an essential aspect of the 21st century and those living in a Pennsylvania-induced cocoon will not prosper. Just ask executives at Heinz, Bayer, PPG and many other large and small companies -- they will tell you they need a work force that is comfortable in a global environment. The world is shrinking and successful young people are comfortable moving around in it and interacting with others from all over it, here in Pennsylvania.

To deny them the means to do so is as perilous as stating that not everyone needs to be able to think mathematically, scientifically or in literate English. Why should we stand by and watch that happen to our children?

LESLIE HOLZNER
BURKART HOLZNER
Mount Washington

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City summer

Bravo, Pittsburgh! On Friday evening I was invited by friends to drive Downtown to view the "light up" buildings -- so spectacular and beautiful -- and then to catch the Pirates fireworks from the bridge.

They were great also, but the best part of the summer evening was seeing the crowds of people just having a good time in this beautiful city, walking and chatting. It was a real pleasure to be part of "summer in the city." Thanks, Pittsburgh.

PAT STEIN
Mt. Lebanon

Bodies on view

If the Carnegie Science Center finds that "Bodies ... the Exhibition" brings in the crowds, here's an idea: Rent some of its vast empty spaces to the Allegheny County medical examiner. Then people could watch autopsies being done live and in person, just like they can see fossil bones being processed at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.

That would certainly be sensational -- which science center administrators seem to confuse with "educational."

CHARLES T. RUBIN
Forest Hills

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Big Oil's game

In reply to "Big Gas Guzzlers," a June 17 Issue One letter by James Hallahan of Ebensburg, I would ask him to peruse this Web site: www.fhwa.dot.gov/ohim/mmfr/mmfrpage.htm. It's operated by the Federal Highway Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation and tracks the sale of motor fuel in the United States.

If one cares to do the math, you will find that gasoline consumption in the United States reached its peak in 2004 and has been declining ever since. Faced with falling profits, the oil companies have done what worked so well for Enron: make capacity unavailable and watch the prices and profits rise.

He speaks of supply and demand. Well, the demand has been declining, and now the supply is being "adjusted" to keep profits high.

Anyone who doesn't believe that the "free market" isn't being gamed by Big Oil is naive.

DAVE HROMANIK
West Mifflin

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Walsh gets results

My wife Donna Wolfson and I would like to publicly thank Larry Walsh for his assistance in helping us obtain our long-awaited refund from Sears ("Why Is Sears Refusing to Honor Rebate Offer?," June 15, and "Couple Gets Rebate, Apology from Sears," June 22).

From the moment he received our e-mail, he advised us of his methodology and kept us apprised every step of the way. He proved that the pen is indeed mightier than the sword and demonstrated that even a retail giant cringes at any negative publicity.

We know Mr. Walsh was "just doing his job," but as far as we're concerned, he went above and beyond the call of duty in his persistence and perseverance.

JACK SILVERSTEIN
Monroeville

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Ron Paul understands the Middle East

Kudos for profiling Republican Ron Paul ("An Article about Presidential Candidate Ron Paul," May 24, The Morning File). It was ironic that these so-called Republicans cited Ronald Reagan to justify our constant involvement in the Middle East. After Lebanese terrorists attacked U.S. barracks in the region, President Reagan wisely decided to withdraw from the region, realizing that ideology there was far too backward to be amended, and that remaining in the region only increased animosity towards our country.

Later, George H.W. Bush was hounded for not "completing the job" in the first Persian Gulf war. But he, too, realized that there would be no escape route. Indeed, the Republican Party has long been considered isolationist. Calvin Coolidge, Sen. Robert Taft, Dwight Eisenhower, Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan are considered the founders of modern conservatism, and generally favored a noninterventionist foreign policy.

Yet Ron Paul is the only Republican candidate today who stated (based on the 9/11 commission report) that our involvement in the Middle East has greatly intensified anti-American sentiment in the region. And we have been heavily involved in many ways, including the 1953 overthrow of democratically elected Iranian leader Mohammed Mosaddeq, Saddam Hussein's rise to power and our payment of $3 billion a year to Israel.

We see ourselves as peacekeepers and defenders of democracy, but Arabs think we're hypocritical. We allow Israel to have nuclear weapons, but not Iran. We refused to talk much to the Palestinians, leading to the election of terrorist group Hamas, with whom we still won't negotiate. To Palestine, we were hypocritical for cutting off financial and political support, even though their elections were very democratic.

Ron Paul pointed this out, and was crucified. However, Ronald Reagan, after seeing Rep. Paul, is most likely smiling.

SCOTT E. CRAWFORD
Findlay

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