A Ping Awaiting Pong

One of the problems with being a person who likes to listen to different sides of an argument, or, for that matter, a theory, is that you wind up in a most confused state. For example, when the results were in for the last set of primaries -- Virginia, Maryland and DC -- I felt sure that Senator Obama would be the nominee. It might not happen until after Texas and Ohio, I thought, but what were the chances that Senator Clinton would bounce back into the race. Pretty slim I conjectured.

Then I listened to the consultants who appeared on the morning shows—including the weekend. And there were two things about which I felt sure. It was physically impossible to sit and listen to their drones and drivel for any more than ten minutes...and that was only if someone had tied you securely to a seat in front of the television. The second thing was, it’s not over. Hillary has taken a new, apparently successful route, Scare tactics in combination with racist misinformation.

The campaign has reached a new low, but as a result, they might just win the next big contests -- Texas and Ohio. There are blatant lies repeated on internet sites which talk about Senator Obama as a Muslim, a man who doesn’t salute the flag of this nation, a person who doesn’t put his hand over his heart when he pledges allegiance to the flag. He doesn’t wear a flag pin nor did he put his hand on the bible when he was sworn in to Congress. It’s all there in black and white (forgive the pun. Oh, it wasn’t a pun), and it’s all false. But perception is reality and if people perceive the Senator to be anything less than a Christian American flag waving patriot—it’s curtains, maybe even drapes.

Additionally, Senator Clinton is broadcasting an ad that implies that America does not want an inexperienced amateur answering the phone at 3 in the morning. He might not say a proper hello. What if he just grunts. He might not have his hand over his heart when he speaks in hushed tones about the possibility of an impending terrorist attack or worse, an impending hunger attack. I don’t know about you but when someone wakes me in the middle of the night first I get angry and then I get hungry.

I feel like the pong waiting for the ping. Yesterday all the talking heads, as well as my friends said the race was soon to be over. Today they are saying, not so fast. Now, how can I write witty and pithy blogs if I have no one or thing on which to base my facts. What a quandary. But I, like any well respected pundit or publication have never let the facts distract me. Here’s what I know to be true. Hillary was very funny on Saturday Nite Live. If only she would continue to have a sense of humor about herself and the lousy campaign she has allowed to continue, she could pull it off. I thought she was better than what she has allowed the campaign to become, but she clearly is not going to change the campaign leadership (and I maintain Maggie wasn’t a change), so at least if she can laugh at them, the public will know that she understands the joke. Next, there is no reason, (unless she has no money) to end the race before the last primary – I think it’s Puerto Rico on June 2nd. Neither candidate will have a sufficient number of delegates before the convention, and she can make a good case for having won big industrial states, having better hair , better whining, (sometimes) and blah blah blah. Also, I stand by my “first step in concession” theory, but I am moving it back a bit.

Yesterday, after reading all the op ed’s in five newspapers, I had hoped I would be convinced by those writers, that the March 4th Primaries would have some kind of amazing significance. But now I don’t think so. They are just going to be more primaries that give the media something to talk about and give the voters a chance to exercise their voice. I don’t think it’s necessary to play out the scenario’s—like he wins in Texas and she wins in Ohio. Or she wins both or he wins both. It’s not important in the scheme of things because neither candidate is going anywhere. That was evident when their consultants appeared on a variety of shows to call one another names, make ludicrous trivial accusations, and bore an entire listening public to death. They have discovered the way to effectively poison a young voter about Presidential elections—just appear to be the voice of any campaign. That is guaranteed to send those young un’s running from the polls.

The other thing that is making me uncomfortable is this whole, Clinton as advocate for John McCain, thing. Maybe I’m overstating her seemed support because if she is the candidate there will be love affair. But unless you want all the same people running the government, you don’t want to fool yourself into believing a McCain administration will be any different than a Bush administration. There will have to be too many deals made in order for him to get elected and with those deals come some pretty right wing idealists. It’s like when you meet a guy and you think, “I wonder if he has any baggage?” At first glance you may think he looks fairly unencumbered. But before you know it – a couple of incredibly heavy trunks, (forget bags) arrive and you have to live with nothing but the wrong impression. In other words... oh never mind, there are no other words. Someone will be the President. I only hope they will not have sold themselves to the devil/devils, before they take the oath of office. We're just sayin