Thursday, September 11, 2008

The Lipstick, the Pig, and the whole bloody mess

OK, I wasn't going to post anything political (hell, I wasn't even going to post, I am just that lazy, dammit) But I felt this whole issue spoke to something large enough it was worth taking time out of my already boring day to talk about.

Enough is enough, already! Look, the problem here is not the wording, it's not the supposed inexperience of one side, or the clever catch phrase of the other. It's the damned sensationally driven media.

Here's an example given by some writer I don't care enough about to link to:

Suppose it was McCain who had used a worn out, tired old phrase. But instead of a phrase used by McCain before (such as the lipstick on a pig phrase) or even the same phrase that one of his top aides NAMED HIS DAMNED BOOK (that's true, look it up) he used this phrase, "Let's call a spade a spade"

Would the media be all over it? You betcher ass they would. Would the Obama campaign try to capitalize on it? In a second. Doesn't that mean it's ok for the McCain camp to jump on it?

That's a big resounding HELL NO!

It's wrong for both sides, dammit. And it's wrong for the media to get into it at all. In fact, I think, it's up to the media, if either side gets into it, to call shanagans on the whole thing. It's up to the media to call it what it is, childish misdirection aimed at tugging the emotional strings of the populous in an attempt to lead them away from the political issues of the campaign.

And I am sick of it. I am hoping beyond hope the TV watching, internet browsing, paper reading public is sick of it too. If not, we could easily see another election as popularity contest, and another 4 years of say one thing and do anything politics.

And, think if you will on this: How sad is it, and what does it say for the state of politics, that on THIS DAY, when we are asked to reflect on Patriotism, and what it means to be an American, Both candidates have decided to call a "cease fire" on attack ads - for the day. That they both recognize how terrible these ads are, and that they both quit these ads and join together in addressing the nation can be seen as noble by some, and maybe it is. But what does it say for either candidate when they start the attack ads up again tomorrow? If they can recognize how unpatriotic, and petty, it is to attack each other instead of talking about the issues today, why not tomorrow?

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