I’ve been following the presidential campaign pretty closely and have been disappointed on quite a few levels by both candidates. I’m not going to make this blog a long political diatribe, but I want to take a moment to express my frustrations with this election, the candidates, and our coverage of the entire affair, in no particular order:
- I am extremely disapointed in the American people for attacking Obama as an “elitist.” I read an incredible Newsweek article the other day that very nicely summed up this absurd behavior. We demand that our athletes be the best of the best. We insist that our soldiers are the top, the elite, soldiers in the entire world. We want the best doctors. Why is it then, that certain population segments vilify Obama for being smart and intellectual? Why on earth would we want to suffer MORE mediocrity in our Presidency?
- I am very annoyed at both candidates for the non-stop personal attacks. I don’t need Obama to tell me when McCain supports or does not support something. I don’t find any wittiness at all in McCain referring to Obama as “that one.” I am listening to you Mr. Candidate to find out what YOU represent – not what the other guy does or does not represent. Stop the personal attacks – show me YOUR platform and explain to me why you should be my next President.
- I am extremely dissapointed at the lack of detail each candidate gives when pressed. I am especially interested in how each candidate will handle funding for NASA, cancer research, non-military theoretical development, population issues, disease control, stem cell research, etc. Each candidate is alarmingly vague in these areas.
- I am very annoyed that the media loves to highlight the facial expressions and movements of John McCain. They make a mockery of this race in the doing of it. With extremely limited use of his upper body, much of McCains expressions are in his face. Whereas you or I could slap our forehead or raise our hands in surprise, McCain cannot do that. Why make light of physical limitations? Read your history, folks, McCain’s physical limitations pale in comparison to some past Presidents.
- I am extremely disappointed in the selection of Sarah Palin as running mate for McCain. It seemed like genius to me at first. I thought to myself, “Wow – now history will be made no matter WHO gets elected.” But as time progressed I learned more and more about her lack of qualifications. The thought that she might sit in the Oval Office frankly frightens me.
- I am so, so, so tired of the SPAM emails spreading lies about both candidates flying around the Internet. I spend half my time on Snopes.com refuting these emails and demanding that I get removed from some spam list a family member has me on. The scariest part of these emails is that people ACTUALLY BELIEVE THEM. Seriously. And that leads me to my last point…
- I am PISSED OFF at my fellow Americans for being so naive, gullible, and ignorant as to blindly believe the spam that reaches their inbox. “Obama won’t salute the flag.” “McCain is a war criminal.” It goes on and on and on. People who I know to be intelligent and well-spoken read this tripe and spout it off as if it were fact. These emails are viral and they spread faster than a fart in an elevator. Where is the critical thinking, people? Where is the skepticism?
Anyway, this post should not be construed to be an endorsement for either candidate. It’s simply my laundry list if things that irk me this election year. What irks you?
Ron -Amen!Every year the lowest common denominator is lowered by the press and media trying to dig up the next headline about what the candidate did over dinner in 1978!The more I listen to them talk .. the more they sound the same. There is no “real candidate” in the race to the white house … there is nobody who will stand up to “change what needs to be changed!”Great post Ron!Bill
It sucks. Still, you need to make your choice.
Here is what I am disappointed about: These two guys are the BEST that either party could come up with. Amazing. On top of that, if we dare to call Obama an elitist, what does that say about those of us who are truly elitist? It simply makes a mockery of people like Ron and I. I too, Sparky, am listening intently for content and per usual hear none. What do we do? This is not a new development, this is continual. On a personal note Sparks, Sarah P, as I like to call her, just denotes the glaring absurdity of all this. You note her lack of qualifications and I begin to wonder what does qualify one for this job? If she is not qualified, then who among the others is? Scary indeed. Ron . . . lets go to Costa Rica for the next four years, I hear the welcome people with cancer in the neck, in fact the like it. My choice: Jonathon Albert “The Impaler” Sharkey. Check him out, I am pretty sure he s just as qualified, former military man, religious leader, held executive position as the president/ceo/founder of a company, US citizen.