Editor,

With regard to the Aug. 2, 2014 issue of the Whidbey News-Times:

While the photo of Dave Olinger, the man running as a write-in for Island County sheriff, is definitely front-page worthy, I was quite upset to see that the staff writer, Jessie Stensland, took what is to be a quirky story of an island man and sneakily inserted obvious personal biases that have no place in the article.

Referring to Olinger as a “Democrat to a nearly stereotypical extent; a ponytail, perhaps, would send him over the edge.”

Did misplaced judging or stereotyping come back into style again and I missed it?

Instead of mocking a man for going against the grain and fighting for something he believes in, let’s praise him and support him rather than basically smiling to his face and laughing when his back is turned.

Also, Jon Stewart is not a “fake news host.” He has never claimed to be a news host, and he has never claimed that his show is a news broadcast.

He is a comedian who hosts a satirical news program on a comedy channel.

I realize that this island is a more Republican area than it is Democrat, but that doesn’t mean those on the left must be mocked for having different viewpoints.

Paige Darrah
Oak Harbor

• Editor’s note: Mr. Olinger and his wife went into the interview with the News-Times reporter fully acknowledging the tongue-in-cheek nature of his candidacy and are having fun with it. Jon Stewart himself referred to “The Daily Show” as “fake news” during a July 2003 interview with Bill Moyers, according to a transcript online at www.PBS.org