Laughable

The McCain campaign would be downright laughable if things were not so serious and if it did not generate so much hate. Could there be anything funnier than McCain saying that Obama would say anything to be elected? What has happened to McCain between 2000 and now? He has changed his positions on just about everything and has obviously said things clearly intended to do nothing but get him elected. For him to criticize Obama for something he has been much worse about cannot be anything other than laughable. And what does his pick of Sarah the wicked say about him other than that he is willing to do anything to get elected. And isn’t it funny how McCain’s descriptions of Obama have changed over time: first he was just a nobody, then a naïve and inexperienced freshman Senator, then a Chicago politician, then an opportunist who just doesn’t understand anything, then a celebrity, a terrorist who hates America, a socialist, and possibly even a communist and Muslim (and of course black all along). Nothing McCain has tried has caught on with the public, and virtually every accusation he has made about Obama has turned out to be more true of himself. He and his imaginary VP have managed to stir up a hotbed of hate to the point where his followers, and especially hers, are shouting out terrorist, treason, waterboard him, and even kill him (interestingly, I think no one has shouted out hang him, I wonder why). I do not think there has been a precedent for a campaign to announce publicly they were just going to attack their opponent’s character and try to destroy him. I know there has been some bitter campaigns in the past, and I know dirty tricks have not been unknown, but even in the bitterest campaigns I don’t believe there was an attempt to actually destroy the opponent. This latter strategy is basically un-American in that even if it fails it damages the winner who has to then go on to the Presidency with that handicap. It is a terrible thing McCain/Palin have done, shameful and unconscionable, and they say they are actually proud of these people who turn out at their hatefests.

I confess to serious wonderment about whether we should even listen to any more campaign talk. If there are those who haven’t yet made up their minds they must be dead from the neck up and probably shouldn’t be allowed to vote in the first place. But more importantly, what is the point in listening? First, it is perfectly obvious that much of what they say are just plain lies. Second, even if they are not just lying they are promising things that realistically can probably never happen, and third, whatever they say, no matter what it is or how sincere they may be about it at the time, will necessarily be what they will do once in office. In other words, realistically, you cannot predict what they are going to do from what they say they will do, so why bother to listen? It becomes very difficult to separate lies from promises well-intended, although sometimes the lies are so obvious and blatant they cannot be overlooked. It seems to be the case that no one could ever get elected to public office unless they told some lies. Sometimes the lies are just embedded under the surface and never have to be publicly faced. For example, if an atheist were to run for President, his atheism would not be an issue because it would be covered up by his membership in some church or other. Or one could claim to have served honorably in the military but had been, in fact, derelect in their duties but had it covered up. Frankly, I sometimes hope (and even expect) that a candidate will not do something he or she claims they are going to do (because they could probably not get elected if they did not take such a position). In any case, McCain/Palin are poisoning the well for the winners, engaging in a political policy of scorched earth. Such is the legacy of Bush/Cheney/Rove.

LKBIQ:
Whenever I dwell for any length of time on my own shortcomings, they gradually begin to seem mild, harmless, rather engaging little things, not at all like the staring defects in other people's characters.
Margaret Halsey

TILT:
Kumquats can be hydrophytic.