Thursday's edition of your paper carries an opinion column by Maggie Gallagher headlined "Obama's truth deficit."

As George Will is wont to say: "Well!"

In her column, Ms. Gallagher says, "Murtagh believes the relationship between Barack, his wife, Michelle, Bill Ayers and his Bernadine, goes back 30 years to Michelle's time at Sidley Austin, the famous Washington, D.C., law firm . . . ." Hmmm. Michelle Obama was born in 1964, Barack in 1961. So, 30 years ago they were -- 14 and 17 respectively. Wow! Talk about your over-achievers. Two high-powered lawyers making it big in their teens!

The point?

Maggie Gallagher and others of her ilk are so eager to tar the reputation of the front-runner that they will say anything, as long as it stirs the pot! "Truth deficit?" If Ms. Gallagher can't or won't even take the time to do the math, why should we trust anything else that she may attempt to foist upon us?

This is simply one more example of the worst kind of journalism -- that which places advocacy of a cause above the facts.

Let us all read carefully and reason judiciously during these next three weeks!

Larry Lawson,

Lewisburg