With just ninety days left in the election it's come down to this: our energy policy and a good deal of this presidential campaign are being discussed through the lens of Paris Hilton. What a big goof it all is! If you just ignore all the soldiers and civilians dying in the Mideast, and all the millions losing their homes and their jobs at home, you could really see the lighter side of it all.
It all started with McCain's ad comparing Obama to Britney Spears and Paris Hilton. And then we had Paris Hilton's "response," followed by the McCain camp's response to Paris Hilton: "It sounds like Paris Hilton supports John McCain's 'all of the above' approach to America's energy crisis -- including both alternatives and drilling. Paris Hilton might not be as big a celebrity as Barack Obama, but she obviously has a better energy plan."
Who ever thought this election wasn't going to be about the issues?
Of course, it's not exactly a surprise that the Republican election machine would resort to trying to make the entire election into an issueless sideshow. I mean, what else do they have?
But it is still a sad spectacle to see John McCain going along with it with such glib eagerness. The man who once pledged to run a "respectful campaign" and who said that Obama "would rather lose a war in order to win a political campaign" has made it clear that he'd rather lose everything he has stood for than lose the White House.
As New York Magazine's John Heilemann noted, "we now have an inkling of just how deep in the mud McCain and his people are willing to wallow in order to win in November: right up to their Republican eyeballs."
The problem is, we're right down there with him. That's because all it takes is one of the two candidates to decide to yank the discourse into the ditch and the media -- and as a result, the public -- follow.
Instead of the media calling the McCain campaign on its pathetic trivialization of the presidential race, they have been engaging in meaningless horse-race analysis of "did the ad work?" The conventional wisdom appears to be that it did.
There was Gloria Borger on CNN, saying, "They put out this ad, and we're running this ad and we're talking about it, which from their point of view, actually works for them."
And there was Dana Milbank with Campbell Brown declaring, "They work and they always work. And we always go through this little dance when everybody says, I'm a different kind of politician, I'm post partisan, I'm a maverick. And of course when it comes right down to it, you need to drive the other guy's numbers down. If anything, they haven't gone negative enough just yet."
As Huffpost's Seth Colters Walls reports, this is nonsense, period. Indeed, to the extent that eventually the ad may "work," it will be only because of the media saying that it worked. It's not even horse-race analysis. It's the Observer Effect.
Even though the media play this game every election cycle, this time, I honestly thought it would be different. That the problems we're facing -- a disastrous never-ending war, the recession, the near collapse of our banking system, etc., etc. -- were just too big to ignore.
But it now appears that the bigger the problems, the more likely it is that they'll be completely ignored. So here we are: huge problems and a correspondingly empty election. It's the politics of nothing.
The McCain camp knows that the only way they can win this election is to turn it into a carnival sideshow.
Here's the question the media should be asking John McCain: "do you think the frivolous, jeering tone of your campaign matches the problems being faced by this country and the sacrifices being made right now by our soldiers overseas?"
And here's another question: what's next for John McCain? Where does he and his campaign go from here? If this is where they have taken the political discourse in early August, what have they got for us come October? Here is a preview -- our best guess -- of what the McCain has in store for us:
"Too Tall." An ad claiming that proof of Obama's arrogance is his refusal to be as short as McCain (5' 6").
"Sex Tape." An ad comparing Obama to Paris Hilton's sex tape to make the point that, well, no point, just that Paris had a sex tape and Obama is, you know, like it.
"Sex Tape II." An ad with Obama digitally inserted into Paris Hilton's sex tape.
"Rhymes with Iraq." An ad pointing out that Obama's first name almost rhymes with Iraq. The ad is pulled after it's pointed out that it comes close to mentioning an issue.
"Michelle Obama: a man?" An ad that's not making any claims, "just asking a question." The ad succeeds in getting the typical media treatment: "As many have noted, the ad uses hyperbole. Still, however, it raises the question, is Michelle Obama a woman?"
"Barack Obama: gay?" Hard to say, but, per the last ad, if Michelle is indeed a man, then that makes Obama gay.
"Barack Obama: black gay man." Previous ad forgot to mention Obama's race.
"akludfilkakmeitceks." An ad with random letters coming up on the screen. The media declares it "a home run."
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Just watch c-span sometimes and watch the senate and representatives at "work"
Most of the time...the place is empty except for a few speakers and the one keeping records.
More time is wasted trying to make a name for themselves.
No matter who gets elected, it is up to the congress to come up with a plan, no matter what the
president thinks. All he can do is veto if he doesn't like it.
Seems like the Democrat congress is waiting for a democrat to be elected, then they will do what they should have been doing in the past just so the democrats can get the credit.
Too much competition over "who wins" and not enough common sense decisions for America.
I will be glad when the election is over. I resent people making almost $180,000.00 a year for running all over the country making speeches. (Wish I had a job like that...lot of vacation time.)
The only time Congress acts swiftly is when it is time for their raise. then It happens immediately.
Vote for McCain and yopu can fuggedabout the theory that there is no such thing as a free lunch.
"this election is a referendum on Barack O.bama."
But In Reality, this election is a "Referendum on America."
Maybe the last chance.
Make the old, scared, and tired, and beat-down comfortable, or simply lose the Future!
Good Luck Barack
When the maturity and wisdom of a society is apparent by the leaders they choose, it is very telling of a group when they consider the trait of intellectual accumen a blemish, for this is what they mean when they say "elitist". And so they rather choose a low intellect individual, someone "they can have a beer with", as their leader.
I wonder, if they are ever in need of a brain surgeon, lawyer, accountant, ect., if they walk into the local bar and get the guy sitting in the next bar-stool, or if they look for sharpest most intelligent one they can afford. Yet this is exactly how they choose the person who will lead the nation and have an impact on their life and that of their children. And so they chose a dodo that can just barely speak his native tongue without triping over it.
Yep, they are proud of their ignorance.
Then he falsely states that Obama will raise taxes for all. The truth is Obama's plan is to raise taxes ONLY ON THOSE MAKING $250,000 OR MORE per year, and to provide tax CUTS to those making less than that.
It's pretty clear that "straight talk" is no longer McCain's style.
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McCain then falsely states that Obama will raise taxes for all. The truth is Obama's plan is to raise taxes only on those making more than $250,000 per year, and to provide tax CUTS to those making less than that.
McCain will continue the Bush policy of tax breaks for the wealthy; Obama wil discontinue that policy.
Looks to me like "straight talk" is no longer McCain's style.
http://factcheck.barackobama.com/factcheck/2008/08/09/response_to_mccains_most_recen.php
Actually, McCain needs to inform the American public just how thin a resume the former "Community Orgaqnizer's" resume has. Once that is done, it will be a Reagan-like landslide for McCain.
It is like witnessing a takeover of peapods in 'invasion of the body snatchers'. When I watch American news I feel like "oh my god, they're snatching everyone's minds, or what?" Its good to know, and I know now only because I do have a computer, that I'm truly not alone in my sentiment. It is like watching a 10 ring circus - or more rings than I can count actually - which is why I count on folks like you to keep a tally of it all -- it does just boggle the mind. I can feel ulcers form as I imagine what would continue if republicans took the election. As far as I'm concerned, the only thing certain is that nobody should relax, republicans have brilliant strategies and mucho bucks -- we're all running from the devil -- I hope I don't have to be further awed by the ignorance that the American public has shown twice this decade.