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The Mudslinging Begins...

New York Times Article

Gather 'round my fellow Americans, with three weeks remaining before the presidential election, you are about to witness the campaign cock-fights of John McCain and Barack Obama. This inevitable precursor to the election officially began with a McCain campaign commercial that links Obama to Bill Ayers, leader of the 1960's Weather Underground terrorist group. Earlier this week, Vice President Nominee Sarah Palin made a reference to the relationship between these two men deeming it one example of Obama's bad judgment. Contrary to the McCain campaign claims, numerous articles from reputable news sources such as The New York Times and The Washington Post provide evidence which belabor the point that the two men are nothing more than acquaintances whose paths happened to cross on occasion. 

Furthermore, if Obama's relationship with Ayers is questionable, has anyone ever considered the adage “keep your friends close, and your enemies closer?” 

So, if the McCain campaign is exaggerating Obama's connection to Ayers on a false basis, what is the significance of the commercial? One Washington Post author, Chris Cillizza, suggests that McCain has opened “Pandora's Box” of slander, lying, vanity, and greed. This strategy is often reserved for times of desperation in one's campaign. With McCain lagging behind in the recent Gallup Polls, his campaign felt the need to start the mudslinging.  Many perceive the commercial as an dishonorable effort by McCain to gain support. Rather than attract prospective voters, McCain's juvenile act will cost him in the upcoming election.   

     

   Leave it up to America to transform the process electing its future leader into a Hollywood soap opera. You know it is getting close to election time in the United States when the public veers away from the petty issues of our crashing economy and the endless War On Terror to focus on more important matters- each presidential candidate's personal life. Newspaper headlines are filled with gossip, television commercials reveal past discrepancies, and debates degenerate into bickering fests. Will this soap opera continue? I guess we will see in the upcoming weeks whether or not Obama will take the opportunity to restore some dignity to the name of politics.  

No Passport Stamps= No Knowledge?!

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/25/eveningnews/main4479062.shtml

Conversely, in her interview with Katie Couric, Palin was questioned about the fact that she did not file for a passport until this passed year. Katie Couric expressed some hesitation in trusting a Vice President with little knowledge of other countries. Palin replied:
I'm not one of those who maybe came from a background of, you know, kids who perhaps graduate college and their parents give them a passport and give them a backpack and say go off and travel the world.

No, I've worked all my life. In fact, I usually had two jobs all my life until I had kids. I was not a part of, I guess, that culture. The way that I have understood the world is through education, through books, through mediums that have provided me a lot of perspective on the world.

Palin never claimed to be anything other that a “Hockey Mom” turned politician with a strong drive to achieve change. Palin never claimed to be a “Jackie-of-all-trades” or world traveler. Her ability to learn and to solve conflict is what makes her invaluable.
Before becoming governor of Alaska, Palin did not know much about oil policies. However, throughout the duration of her term, Palin was able to successfully improve the state’s policies involving Alaska’s corrupted oil companies. Palin continuously challenges herself, and in turn, overcomes every obstacle set before her. It is this quality that would make for an incredible Vice President.
Americans need to give Palin a chance. Everyone should be able to see a little bit of himself or herself within her. Palin may not have sailed the ocean blue, but she and Columbus have something in common, bravery, which is something Americans have not seen in years. George W. Bush’s passport is filled with stamps but he did not take our country anywhere.

Also check out: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/09/03/palin_not_well_traveled_outside_us/

Presence for President!

It is about time that people pull themselves away from reality shows and watch something of significance on TV. The Vice Presidential debate received more viewers than American Idol? …Finally! Good for Sarah Palin! She has captured the attention and interest of Americans and even caused them to detach themselves from their obsession with entertainment shows. Sarah Palin has a remarkably firm and confident presence. These are characteristics Washington longs for and has not seen long time. These characteristics will improve Americans’ pride in the country, relations with foreign nations and overall trust and assurance in the government.

Many criticize the fact that her rise to Vice Presidency seems like a Lifetime or Disney channel movie: “Hockey Mom turned Vice President.” However, one should value this situation’s significance. Only in America can someone like Sarah Palin, fulfill her call to responsibility first with her children’s school PTA, and then run for city council, then mayor, then governor, then Vice President of the country. This is the American Dream. Americans have not seen it embodied so intensely in decades. We as young Americans should admire this situation as a reminder of the opportunity for advancement that is extended to all of us through Sarah Palin’s Vice Presidency.

A wise man once said, “You can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes. After that, you’d better know something.” The combination of Palin’s presence, constant hunger for knowledge, and ability to overcome challenge will afford her much longer than just her “fifteen minutes.”

Also check out: http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/president/28118284.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUnciatkEP7DhUsX

John.he.is

What’s a better way to compare the two candidates then with the same media?

 

Yes We Can

The video John.he.is is exactly like the endorsing video for Obama, Yes We Can. It has the exact same video layout, of some split screen, a variety of people, black and white, and plenty of face time for the candidate.

John.he.is

Only the point of the McCain video is drastically different.

Its comical, in the way it starts out and makes the you believe it was made by Republicans firing back to support McCain. Then, its takes a spin, and strengthens comments made by McCain that are not so reassuring.

The people in the video second-guessing the words they just agreed with are quite funny. One man says a comment with McCain, then asks “what??”  Others just have the look of pure confusion on their faces.

Then it outlines what I would consider political death. McCain states that he “doesn’t think Americans are concerned if we’re in Iraq for the next 100 years, 1000 years or even 10,000 years”…

Yeah, political death.

And the makers of the video would agree with me. The video ends with “Iraq Withdrawal Date: 12,008. Good luck with that in November”. Personally, I find it hilarious. What a better way to make a point, then add some humor with fact?

This works because you see both of the candidates in the same light. The makers of the John.he.is video took the same ideas from the Yes We Can video and compared McCain the same way, taking parts of his speeches, and embellishing them. 

"That One"

Diamonds, Daisies, Snowflakes … That One

All right, McCain said it. He pointed at Barack Obama, and referred to him as “that one”.

But what does he mean by that?

Some say it was his style, or technique, that just came off awkward that night. Some say he was being rude and disrespectful. So the next question is, what did it accomplish?

McCain used the term “that one” when he was trying to make a point about the oil companies and make the people question where Obama really stands on that issue. His statistic and approach could have really been quite persuasive, until he indicated “that one” voted for it.

That was where his argument was thrown to the wind.

Everyone has heard what he referred to Obama as, and everyone seems to have an opinion. McCain’s supporters defend him, and Obama supporters will say he was disrespecting Obama as a senator and as a person, or even that he is a racist.

Whatever McCain was really doing, it didn’t work, at least not in his favor.

Regardless of his style or technique, it came off as rude that night, and that’s the last thing you want the media pestering you on in the heat of such a great battle. Undecided voters may look at this situation and question who McCain is as a person. If they are anything like Warren Ballentine, they may question how McCain will treat the common American, if that’s how he treats an American Senator.

In short, rather it was technique, disrespect, style or being plain rude, McCain better consider changing his approach.