Let’s apply criticism equally

I did not have to read past the headline accompanying Eugene Robinson’s June 7 column to know what the direction and tone of his essay would be.

I did not have to read past the first paragraph to confirm my first impression.

By the way, I agree with Mr. Robinson’s general principle that people who don’t know what they are talking about would improve the public discourse significantly by not adding to it. That’s why I admire Herman Cain so much. He said during the first Republican presidential debate this year that it is better to be thought a fool for not having all the answers than it is to speak presumptuously and remove all doubt.

So, given the more than 700 words Mr. Robinson devoted to hammering the former governor of Alaska over her “revisionist history,” may I ask where is the vitriol reserved for the following:

President Obama’s statement that he had visited 57 states during his campaign?

Former President Clinton’s attempt to painstakingly shave the definition of the word “is?”

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell’s seemingly endless litany, read out loud before the members of the United Nations, of specific types and amounts of chemical and biological warfare agents known to be possessed by the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein?

Gov. Palin deserves to lose credibility for her silly mistakes. Do the presidents and the secretary merit any less?

John P. Frey Jr.
Mukilteo