I have resisted responding to Froma Harrop’s diatribes against Barack Obama, because she has become a Hillary flack (which is sad from one who was one of my favorite columnists), but reading Prof. June Speakman’s June 15 letter, “Obama preserves the glass ceiling,” was just too much!

I was not originally an Obama supporter. My desire was to see the strongest candidate and a united party to defeat the Republican in the fall. However, once it was clear that he would be the nominee, I wanted an end to the primaries so Democrats could focus on John McCain. To see so many intelligent women expressing illogical anger at Obama for winning really puzzles me and makes me wonder about any woman’s readiness to serve.

Ms. Speakman seems to imply that all male candidates should have lain on their backs so a woman could be president. Would she expect McCain to do the same if Hillary had been his opponent? And foreign leaders?

And as for her comment about Obama depriving “women in their 80s and 90s of the opportunity to see a woman elected president,” I would ask her about the African-Americans’ chance to see a black elected! Women have been accusing Obama supporters of being sexist. This thinking could be called racist. A 60-year-old woman has more right to a president than a 47-year-old African-American?

I hope these Hillary supporters can get over their loss and support a candidate who will not overturn Roe v. Wade and will support most of the issues that are important to Democrats.

DON JACKSON

North Providence