Wayne Riddle wrote Sept. 30 that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has more executive experience than Sen. Barack Obama.

Obama has served seven years in state government and three years in federal government. He’s a graduate of Columbia and Harvard law school. His experiences are diverse, like working with the poor and teaching constitutional law. He has worked to create legislation on the economy, health care, energy and other vital issues, often working across party lines. He and his wife have one house and one car, and they understand the middle class.

Gov. Palin is proud to be a “pit bull” and a “barracuda.” Her big smile and folksy style hide a very negative attitude. She links herself with John McCain as a “pair of mavericks.”

Why would people want a “maverick” and a “pit bull” running America? Mavericks can’t get along with others and refuse to compromise. Pit bulls are considered aggressive and vicious.

McCain’s camp has announced he is “ramping up his attack machine” against Obama. How does that attitude help America? Voters want to know where candidates stand on the issues, not to be insulted by nasty attack ads.

This country needs calm, thoughtful, well-informed leaders who can help restore our former position in the world. Politicians must work together as a unified country, not as hostile mavericks and pit bulls, to solve the nation’s very serious domestic and foreign problems.

Ellen Field, New Gloucester