Let The Fun Begin

It’s time to let the campaign begin. The combatants are now in the center ring and all pretenders have left the ring. The seconds, the VP candidates, will join in once they’ve been called forward. Let the fun begin.

Both candidates say it will be a civil discourse. Let’s hope so! It would be great to see the two sides stick to the issues and not get into personal attacks. It seems that their differences in vision for the future should be so polar opposite and so defined, that the debate should be spirited. It will also be dangerous for either candidate to go negative.  How could you personally attack a war hero or the first African American Presidential candidate in modern history? It’s clear that Conservative Talk Show hosts would love to have a mud wrestling match as it would give them fodder for the summer. Obviously, whoever is the first to do that will pay a heavy price. Of course, outside groups on both sides will be more than willing to do the dirty work for the campaigns and will be willing to take the dressing down they will receive from the candidates for doing the job they were asked to do.

McCain has suggested a string of town meetings between here and the conventions. Everyone says this will be his strong suit, but I really believe Obama can more than hold his own in that format. These town meetings will be just the candidates, no moderators, with questions from an audience vetted by both candidates’ camps. They are calling them modern Lincoln/Douglas debates.  (The public should only be so lucky). Of course, it may not be so great if the candidates drone on for hours and the audience needs to bring a picnic lunch (which by all accounts, was the way the first debates were run). I really hope that this is an opportunity for the public to hear exactly what the candidates think on issues and how they will change the future.  Wouldn’t that be great?

We can all hope that both candidates have gotten the message that the public is tired of business as usual and that they take this opportunity seriously. Let’s hope they actually run a new style campaign.  Both these guys say they are ready for a new world- let’s hope they really mean it.

Good Luck

Comments

[Jason Argile]

I am excited about the upcoming summer months. I have yet to make my mind up on which candidate to vote for come November and the campaigning over the next few months will help me make that decision. Hell, I might even vote for a third party candidate! I just hope that these candidates dont try to drum up support for themselves with the war hero/black candidate identities. It would be nice if for once we could choose a president on their qualities and poltical ideas, not their race or history. Great article.