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I have worked for two Presidential campaigns, two Congressional campaigns, the campaign to elect my current mayor, was a Tennessee state delegate in 2004 and have written and covered politics for about a decade now and I can say with certainty, that this is the most ridiculous election cycle I have ever been a part of.
Through the years of learning the nuts and bolts of pressing the flesh on the streets, getting petitions signed, manning the phones, handing out flyer's and all the mechanics of being a part of the election process, I have learned a great deal. What has only recently dawned upon me is how cynical and almost depressing it has become when I pause to look around at the landscape today.
People carrying on over the tiniest and most minuscule detail as though it were some grand revelation that is heralding the second coming of the messiah or the anti-Christ. I never would have dreamed that people could fawn over the most ridiculous things with all the seriousness of a declaration of war. In doing so, people have abandoned the issues once again in favor of the sound byte and the clever one liners. Hollow adulation and contempt abounding from the faithful followers so much like idol cult worship.
Who knows, maybe we will all get lucky and California will move up the 2012 primary to 2010 so the candidates can start running their campaigns in 2009, we would hate to miss something.
Who knows, maybe we will all get lucky and California will move up the 2012 primary to 2010 so the candidates can start running their campaigns in 2009, we would hate to miss something.
Have you heard something about being compensated by the count of postings in your forum???
Well, I certainly don't get the fawning end of it. Nor do I get how some seem to have invested so much of their hopes and fondest wishes into a POLITICIAN, for Pete's sake! Crying over a political speech? C'mon! Yep, I support Hillary and I would be heartened to see a woman serve as president but, geez, I'm not emotionally involved in how the campaign is going.
Politics is a comedy of errors, sometimes a calculated chess match. Those willing to run are not likely the best presidents this country can produce -- they're simply the ones ambitious enough, egotistical enough, well-connected, well-monied, and willing to subject themselves, their families, and everything and anyone about them to intense scrutiny. That's not something about which to "ooohhhh" and "aaaahhhh."
Well, I certainly don't get the fawning end of it. Nor do I get how some seem to have invested so much of their hopes and fondest wishes into a POLITICIAN, for Pete's sake! Crying over a political speech? C'mon! Yep, I support Hillary and I would be heartened to see a woman serve as president but, geez, I'm not emotionally involved in how the campaign is going.
Politics is a comedy of errors, sometimes a calculated chess match. Those willing to run are not likely the best presidents this country can produce -- they're simply the ones ambitious enough, egotistical enough, well-connected, well-monied, and willing to subject themselves, their families, and everything and anyone about them to intense scrutiny. That's not something about which to "ooohhhh" and "aaaahhhh."
I agree. It's not the candidates whom I find inspiring. It's the apparently insatiable upspringing of hope which their followers seem to tap.
My Japanese wife laughs at me when I talk like this. She is amused by America's childish faith in political inspiration.
I realize we often start out with idealism when campaigns fire up and get going but eventually we have to come around to pragmatism.
Just how have the candidates running voted in the past, how consistently does their voting match their speech, what has been their primary focus and causes for concern during their careers, and how do what views they hold match those of mine.
Now everyone is going to have those things that are most important to them so in turn will effect their choice in candidates. Yet when we have a close race in which two or more candidates have similar views, it comes down to the inevitable cult of personality that drives people.
Maybe it is just the unique candidate choices we have this election cycle that is driving this more than usual, but I have just never seen such fanaticism over non-issue items. Who knows, I guess when lack of difference between issues is present, then all that is left is who has the best hair cut, pant suit, or genuine grin, not to mention who has the gardener that hasn't been embroiled in a scandal with Guatemalan coffee picker that is here illegally.
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