White House race

I NOTED your front page on Monday (Irish Examiner, February 16) with some disappointment you bandwagoned with other organs of the media in carrying the alleged intern affair story and its impact on John Kerry's potential candidacy in the US.

Our national papers increasingly, and annoyingly, take articles from publications outside the State for copy and here was what appeared to me yet another instance of a paper reacting to efforts at sensationalism in one of the English Sunday papers.

I have been following this Democratic race closely and noted that not one of CBS, ABC, MSNBC, CNN, or FOX News election 2004 websites carried any reference to this story over the weekend.

Their scepticism was well founded as on Monday night I noted Mr Kerry was well in front in polls ahead of yesterday's Wisconsin primary.

Furthermore, I now see reports that the lady in question has issued a full denial of any involvement with Mr Kerry.

I would have hoped that your paper would have paused for thought and reflected before rushing to the front page gossip-mongering we saw this Monday morning.

Sean P O'Donoghue

111 Beechcourt

Beech Road

New Street

Killarney

Co Kerry