Leave Palin alone

I've been seeing the coverage of the David Letterman "joke" about Gov. Sarah Palin's daughter. The fact that Mr. Letterman intended it to be directed toward the older daughter doesn't make it any more acceptable. The simple fact is that neither Mrs. Palin's children nor any public figure's children should be the target of his jokes. She is the individual who sought a public role, not her children.

Politics and political humor are callous enough when adults are the targets; we don't need to subject their children to it as well. And by the way, the 2008 presidential election is over. Somebody needs to tell all of the pundits, talk-show hosts and Post-Gazette columnists that Mrs. Palin is old news. Get some new material, for crying out loud.

EITHNE O'MALLEY
Brookline