I write to take strong exception to the analysis of the second debate between President Bush and Sen. Kerry on Oct. 9, which appeared at the top of the front page.

The writer misrepresents the facts. He highlighted what he called the president’s anger, and he repeated that theme several times. He brought in extraneous and irrelevant material to further denigrate the president’s performance. He leveled 18 negative comments at the president but only four at Sen. Kerry. He implied that Kerry easily won the debate while all other reliable pollsters declared it was a virtual tie. He distorted the news to suit his political preferences.

Readers are familiar with the writer’s heavy bias against all things Republican on the editorial page, but not on the front page where this political diatribe appeared under the guise of an analysis. He is welcome to his opinion, but he should express it on the page reserved for him: the editorial page.

I would remind him of the warning of the “Grade the News” Web site on May 27, 2004: “Changing the role of editorials erodes the wall between fact and opinion at a time when public mistrust of journalism as biased is very high.”

Warren F. Rollins, East Dixfield