After last night’s debate between Senators Clinton and Obama I know that I am. Left of the Aisle gives us a good argument as to why we should be:
But the good is now getting overshadowed by the bad. It would be GREAT for the Democratic party if the issues were being talked about. If they both addressed the economy and environment a little more, and each other a little less. But they are not doing that. Each time Clinton jabs Obama for an ill chosen statement, or each time Obama jabs Clinton for her version of the landing in Bosnia, John McCain’s eyes gleam. He knows that by the end of this primary both Obama and Clinton will be so beat down he will have little problem. Both campaigns say this sort of thinking is nonsense, that it IS good for the party. No one in there right mind would believe that two people who claim to be representing deep issues, but who spend most of their time kicking each other, are helping the Democratic party.
I even displayed my frustration with a complaint to ABC along with thousands of other Americans who are equally frustrated with the tone and content of the debate. Oliver Willis is one of those frustrated Americans and posted this video that pretty much covers the atrocity of the debate:
Were any of those questions pertinent to American voters? Not in the least, they have been covered, over and over again by the mainstream media and to bring them up for 45 minutes a week before voters in Pennsylvania go to the polls does an extreme disservice to them. It is a step back towards Rovian politics that got us eight years of George Bush. It is a style of politics that we need to transcend. Senator Obama made a move to do just today.
Its time to ask serious questions, like the questions that were asked in the Compassion Forum on Sunday night. Hard questions directed at our elected leaders, ones that raise the possibility of making tough sacrifices in our way of life. They dealt with AIDS, poverty, global warming; problems that the United States must take a lead on right now. Diana Butler Bass makes the argument that the faith leaders who asked the questions were much more mature than the traditional media who showed a desire to simply ask questions that were meant as distractions.
The questions asked by George and Charles do nothing to solve our economic crisis, the war in Iraq, rising health care and food costs and they do absolutely nothing to get people out of poverty.
So are you mad as hell?
Thanks for these last couple posts. A couple months ago I rescinded my four-year old promise that I would never vote again in a presidential election because of this kind of nasty politicking. When three candidates emerged who were all significantly different than the old-school rhetorical party insiders who have been featured in each of the last few elections, I was elated. Now it’s become clear that even when the faces and personalities change, the tactics stay the same: assassinate or be assassinated.
I may reinstate my promise before November. Thanks for the article. I think I’m going to be sick.
–Sean
(check out my tshirt site: http://www.headscratching.com for interesting original statements on faith, politics, and unconventional humor.)
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