It is regrettable and shameful that the Bangor Daily News cannot provide rational and balanced newspaper coverage of a visit to Maine by the president of the United States. Regardless of what a reporter’s personal political leanings may be – or those of the editor – the article, “Bush’s visit draws protesters/On Earth Day, president touts his anti-pollution policies” (BDN, April 23), by Misty Edgecomb, should not have gotten by the editor, unless the editor is the root of the problem.

Almost 50 percent of the article, including the headline and the lead-in, mirrored negative comments from protesters of the president’s policies, a number of whom were not from Maine. How can the BDN be so biased as to let the protesters become the story?

The article failed to mention that many of the protesters were “bused in,” but it did use that negative phrase prominently to describe those invited to attend Bush’s speech. Did the protesters simply bike over from Vermont? Meanwhile, highlights of the speech were relegated to second place, followed by more extensive negative quotes from the protesters.

I have no problem with the protesters, who have the right to gather and demonstrate publicly. I do have a problem with the BDN editors allowing the protesters to co-op the power of the press to the extent that the protesters rather than the president’s visit become the subject of the article.

Whatever happened to journalistic integrity and ethics? An unedited article like this belongs on the editorial page with other political opinions.

Mac Young

Belfast