Not presidential material

Editor, The Times:

Mitt Romney’s total lack of recall regarding the “terrifying” and “vicious” hair-cutting “prank” he pulled on fellow classmate John Lauber [“Classmates recall Romney’s pranks-and darker incidents,” News, May 11] could be an indication of one of possibly three things.

One, he was a prankster/bully of such epic proportions that no one incident stands out, even an event that remains troublingly seared into the memories of several classmates who are well into their sixties.

Two, his “lack of memory” regarding these cruel “hijinks” might be an indication of pre-dementia or early onset Alzheimer’s.

Three, he’s lying.

Any one of the above, for me, would indicate Romney’s not fit presidential material.

— Lynn Swan, Bainbridge Island

Convenient memory lapse

It should be obvious that Mitt Romney is being less than honest when he says he doesn’t remember bullying John Lauber in high school. I’m sure that Lauber never forgot being assaulted and humiliated by five intolerant bullies as long as he lived.

This isn’t the kind of incident that was so trivial that it could be forgotten easily, even after 47 years. Romney’s reaction to this story shows us that he won’t hesitate to lie to Americans to avoid embarrassing himself.

Someone who claims to have a convenient memory lapse to avoid some embarrassment is someone America can’t trust with the presidency.

— Eric Tremblay, Coupeville