Monday, October 13, 2008

Three weeks

With only 21 days until the elections, the frustration levels seem to be reaching near capacity for most voters to deal with the two presidential candidates and their respective campaigns. Whether Democrat or Republican, a lot of voters have been shaking their heads and wondering aloud if there weren't some better choices for the nation and the Free World. Ironically, in a race where both candidates bellow they are instruments of change, most voters I talk with grudgingly wish they could change the candidates. If we were to believe the polls, Barack Obama is as far ahead as 11 percentage points. That's an incredible swing when one considers that McCain and Obama were in a virtual dead-heat a month ago. But that was before the stock market started to slide and before the world went into economic crisis. If the economic crisis deepens, Obama could certainly maintain a double digit lead over McCain. It really is fish or cut bait time for both of these presidential possibilities, a fact not lost on the news media already clammoring for more dirt on Sarah Palin. Even neutral Tom Brockaw on the Today Show this morning commented on the runaway status of Obama and how unstoppable he seems to be. John McCain's "they forgot to let you decide" speech might be seen as a nice sound bite on the evening news, but it does smack of desperation. "My friends, we've got them where we want them," he was heard to say earlier today. Hmmm...I didn't realize that McCain wanted to lose that badly. Frankly, I wish he would take off the gloves and be specific in what his platform means for the future of America. I know it's wishful thinking, but, perhaps, at this last upcoming debate, we'll hear less of the same and more of what informed voters need to cast a considered ballot.

1 comment:

whalechaser said...

While I also hope for a debate with a little more 'content'...I suspect we will continue to get smoke and mirrors. That, after all, is what politicians do best. In my previous life as comptroller of a municipality I can tell you that the media is no help. They simply like to take a few sound bites, throw them in the pot and stir. Get the people riled up with no detailed information to rely on...only emotion. It truly is the worst way to go.
Whale