Catching Up on the Election

I just returned from a two week vacation to Spain where I was on a self-imposed news embargo, especially of the race for president. I spent the better part of the weekend reading blogs, newspapers, magazines, etc. catching up on all the coverage and here's what I've discerned (while I can't take credit for all of these, they accurately describe my observations of the corporate media's coverage of the Presidential race while I was gone):

* If you grow up in Hawaii and are raised by a single Mom and your grandparents, you're "exotic, different " and not a real American.

* Grow up on a number of military bases outside of the United States or in Alaska shooting moose and eating mooseburgers, a quintessential American story.

* If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim; name your kids Bristol, Willow, Trig and Track, you're a real American and a maverick.

* If you graduate near the top of your class from Harvard Law School then you are an elitist who's not a real American and certainly not qualified to be President of the United States; finish close to last in your graduating class from the Naval Academy or attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded and the most qualified to hold the two highest offices in the U.S.

* If you spend 3 years as a community organizer, become the first black president of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you're a not-to-be trusted pointy-headed intellectual and don't have any real leadership experience.

* If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, you're the "real" leader and qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.

* If you can look out your window and claim you can see Russia, you're a foreign policy expert; however, if you've served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, traveled the world and actually met foreign heads of state, you're not only an elitist "celebrity" who cannot relate to "real" Americans, but completely unqualified to be president of the United States.

* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.

* If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a maverick and someone to be looked up to as promoting Christian values.

* If you teach children about sexual predators, you are irresponsible and eroding the fiber of society but if while Mayor of your small town, you charge rape victims for rape kits you are to be applauded for your leadership.

* If, while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant, you're very responsible.

* If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America's ; however if you can't remember how many houses you own, your wife is one of the richest people in America who inherited her money and wears dresses every day that cost several hundred thousand dollars, the two of you have more in common with and can relate better to "real" Americans than the snooty Harvard Law graduates who paid their own way through college and law school.

* If your husband is nicknamed "First Dude," with at least one DWI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that hates America and advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.

* If you repeatedly lie about your own record and that of your opponent while your opponent refuses to make up lies about you, you're a maverick who is to be admired while your opponent is a weird, out of touch elitist.

I hope on November 4, Americans are not as stupid as the McCain campaign and the cynical corporate media apparently believe they are.

Comments

[KiwisCanFly]

Blimin incongruous isn't it??!!

Thanks Tim Downing.

[Ged2012]

Have this published as an op-ed in every local newspaper in rural America. That way, you could make a difference.

Please have it published in papers which local folks regularly read. Or if there is anyone blogging here who has any contact with any writer in any locality, kindly sent this article to the person concerned.

[Meurs]

Brilliant!

The last couple weeks have made me feel like I'm taking crazy pills.

[PioneerKing]

Mr. Downing:

You seemed surprised that the standards are different for blackmen. As you very well know if the races were reveresed sen.

Obama would still not be good enough for the bigots and agants of intolerence.

Get over it. This is America with all of her bigotry and prejudice writ large.

McCain/Palin and the republicans, said throughout their convention speeches this was a cultural war and about personalities. Mccain/Palin are going to throw out the kitchen sink to win this election.

The agents of intolerance and dixiecrat republicans are just showing America who they really are, what they have been masking since their southern strategy was first implemented decades ago.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-f-kennedy-jr/governor-palins-reading-l_b_126478.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/10/palin-quoted-anti-semite_n_125429.html

[trinidadgirl]

Absolututely spot on,my man.
Can I please ask that some-one blogs about what exactly is a republican versus a democrat...although you kinda gave me a better idea.

[Forsetti]

Yet if these "low information" voters had to have surgery they would want the surgeon who finished near the top of their class not the one who barely eked through. I cannot understand their willingness to settle for "a drinking buddy" as President but demand "elite" credentials in other areas. It seems they put little importance in the Presidency.

[bluedogintheoc]

WOW...can you say copy paste....I just pinged my address book with this...

[ronin bqs]

Downing-- you my good man absolutely nailed it. Jolly well done, indeed. The paragraph on Obama's Harvard Law Review achievement was perfectly constructed, as was the one about Michelle O's path. I hope reps and dems both read this before they vote. It's short, simple, and forcefully argued.

[ranchosx]

The Obama's are the American success story and the corporate media are racist. White guy from DE here

[SouthernGuy]

Thanks, that is good. You may have been in Spain, but that accurately sums up what has been going on here. I hope I didn't violate any copyrights when I made 10 copies to pass along to some who will appreciate your observations and others who need to see them.

[chs1965]

A sad commentary on the American electorate.

[DickTater]

bravo

[Sparty1]

Incredible, ain't it? If those points were switched around, Barack and Biden would've been tossed out on their behinds!

[Charmed]

You have nailed it.....I have the same hopes as you do. I'm going to HQ this afternoon to counter the craiziness......

[rebal7]

_Here is the original post from: http://commentsfromleftfield.com/2008/09/palin-gibson-interview-four-screens-of-ignorance#comment-42568
_________________________
Dr.Deek on September 12th, 2008 3:29 pm

Now* I understand McCain and Palin

I’m a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight…..

* If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you’re “exotic, different.” ..........(cannot fit it all here) click on the link above.
Let's credit Dr. Deek!!

*

[ToonMoene]

> If you can look out your window and claim you can see Russia, you're a foreign policy expert

But if you hold a rousing speech to 200,000 Berliners saying that "Afghanistan needs our troops and your troops" without drawing boos or antagonistic banners, in spite of the fact that the head of state of that country can't offer such troops in fear of retaliation from the democratically chosen parliament, then certainly you are an un-American egghead not worthy of the Presidency.

The US has only one shot left at getting the respect of the rest of the world back - don't misfire on November 4th.

[rebal7]

Hello Tim,
PLEASE READ
I traced the owner of the above words...written so brilliantly. Would we please be able to credit him? Here is the link to the BLOG where the post was first put, by a DR. DEEKS. Possibly the Huffington Post can track the man down so that he gets credit for those eloquent words that are making their way around the internet, families and the workplace like wildfire! THANK YOU DR. DEEKS!!

http://commentsfromleftfield.com/2008/09/palin-gibson-interview-four-screens-of-ignorance#comment-42568

I copied the ORIGINAL POST in my next comment: