And They Both Promised a Positive Campaign!

I've had it. I am sick of politics as usual. I am tired of our Presidential candidates telling me what is wrong with the other guy. But this disgust is not limited to the candidates themselves. We have in America an entire legion of partisans on both the right and left whose prime directive also seems to be the destruction of the other, rather than the lifting up of your own candidate. Sensing that he is losing on the issue of the economy, John McCain, a candidate who was a victim of some pretty sleazy tricks in 2000 when he ran against GW Bush, is now himself jumping on the Sleaze Talk Express. Understand what this means. The Washington Post, quoting an unnamed GOP strategist, is reporting that the McCain campaign has made the decision to question Obama's character and associations. This is on the heels of Rick Davis', McCain Campaign manager probably being the most honest person in American politics this year with this gem of a quote, "This election is not about issues... This election is about a composite view of what people take away from these candidates." At least they are honest about it. Obama and his sleazy attack ad on McCain's computer abilities is one of the lowest things I have ever seen. Hey Barack, he doesn't use a computer because he is in constant pain from being tortured for five years! This stuff is horrible. And yet as much as the American people cringe and recoil when it is done, for some idiotic reason, it works. It works when GOP partisans cannot watch a debate and see that Sarah Palin, nice as she is, is not qualified to be President, a judgement that must be made of every VP candidate. It works when Democratic partisans cannot see that Obama's inability to see the political ramifications of Rev. Jeremiah Wright's comments might be a harbinger of his ability to grasp a growing crisis before it is too late. It works when neither party can be honest and say that both of their candidates were playing politics with the recent so-called Wall Street Bailout. Doesn't anybody get it? I want the candidates to tell me where they stand. Not their opponent. When you choose to denigrate your opponent and not trust me enough to figure it out on my own, you insult me. And my intelligence. Barack, I do not care what you have to say about John McCain. And Mr. McCain, my friend, I do not care what you have to say about Barack Obama. Please, please, please, tell me where you stand on the issues, and trust me enough to figure it out. And tell your partisan supporters to do the same! Now just in case you can't figure out how to do this, here's a simple guide. If your opponents name is in your advertising, you ain't doin' it. Both of you are pretty fond of saying that the American people are smart folks. Why don't you treat us as such?