When I heard the story of the Romney family taking a 12-hour trip with their dog placed in a kennel strapped to the top of their car, the dog defecating liquid down the rear window, Romney stopping at a gas station and hosing off the mess and placing the dog back in the kennel and continuing the trip, I was appalled. I couldn't picture myself or my children allowing this to happen.

Then it was revealed that when Romney was a high school senior, he and his friends did not like the length of a classmates' hair. The friends pinned down the boy, and Romney cut his hair against his will -- called bullying today.

When Romney graduated from college during the Vietnam War, he is shown demonstrating with a placard in favor of the war. He was excused from being drafted by going to France for two years to proselytize for his church. He was in favor of the war, but let somebody else do the fighting.

Then we see a recent secret video of Romney talking before his wealthy donors about the 47 percent who don't pay taxes and don't take responsibility for their lives and think they're entitled; he's not going to worry about those people. Then he says he didn't say that "elegantly." And now he is saying that was a mistake. Really?

Isn't this is an indication of character?

Catherine Gerken

Hilton Head Island