The High Road or the Low--Does It Matter How You Win?

These are excerpts from an email dialogue I've been having with one of my friends. It's all I can put out there about my state of mind with this election. I've said before: I don't have the temperament for political engagement because I GET SO FUCKING ANGRY I think my head is going to blow off. I try to be reasoned and calm and cool, but it doesn't last for long. I am walking around grinding my teeth and I have a mega-headache to boot. That can't be good for me.

SHE: I am so scared Palin might do the trick for McCain. But listened to Rachel Maddow last night and learned mucho. Palin didn't sell her governor's jet on e-bay. she sold it through a broker and didn't make a profit she had a loss of 6 million. She also has the state with the largest earmarks and pork barrel spending. She tried to get 51 million for a train from her town to Ted Stephens ski resort. And boy is she avoiding the press. I know you know about her affiliation with Jews For Jesus and on top of that she has some connection to a move to secede Alaska from the union. But I'm still very worried because it seems to be working. All these Republicans seem happy to have her in the VP so if this OLD OLD man dies they'll be real happy to have her run things. I'm beginning to think the president doesn't run much anyway. It's people like Karl Rove that are running this country.

ME: The reason I like/need to read a bunch of different sources is so I can get a metaview of what's happening in the campaign. It is true about Palin and the eBay jet but she didn't make the claim; McCain did. All she said was that she had "listed it on eBay." Which she did....As for the Jews for Jesus thing, I started to send that to you when I first came across it a couple of days ago, but I didn't because when I read further I saw that the story was a bit more and a bit less. She was at her church and a Jews for Jesus guy was speaking, but she was not aware that he was going to be there. So, unlike O. with the preacherman in Chicago, this was an unwitting attendance on Palin's part. The reason I'm bringing this up to you is that what you're picking up on is useless shit that the Dems are throwing out there to obfuscate the truth--which is that McCain and Palin are more of the same. It's very easy to get into a shitting (spitting?) contest, but it doesn't serve to do anything but inflame and put the emphasis on the wrong things. That's what the Reps are so brilliant at doing--and they are doing it now. But do we descend to their level knowing we can never be vile enough to beat them at their own game? Or do we maintain our integrity and insist they come up to our level?


SHE: Actually I knew the man just spoke at her church re: Jews for Jesus but her preacher has been quoted as saying "if you are against Bush you will go to hell and if you vote for Kerry I cannot guarantee your salvation." I know that is more of the crap that the Republicans are dishing out to us but I fell strongly that the Republicans are now lying about Obama's platforms-saying the he is a tax and spend liberal who will make Washington bigger--a totally inaccurate statement about his financial programs. Also I watched Karl Rove and his henchmen in 2004 lie and mislead the voters on so many issues and that crap wasn't addressed by Kerry quickly enough. I guess I am for throwing around some lies even if it is stretched a bit to sling at them. I'm not confident we can take the high road and win. And boy are Palin and McCain throwing crap around.
Here's some more sludge--she may have had an affair.
Saw Biden today and he was very good. So feeling a little more confident.
when I see a guttersnipe I want to make sure they stay in the gutter.


ME: Yeah, I hear you--and part of me agrees with you about throwing the crap back. I always think about the Pro-choice/Pro-Life debate in that context as well. The Pro-Lifers threw jars with aborted fetuses in them on legislators desks. The Pro-Choicers just talked and reasoned and explained. As a result, despite the majority of Americans being pro-choice, we are under the sway of the anti-choice minority--just because they are so effectively vocal. I saw Obama yesterday "answer" Palin by raising the issue of her pork votes. But really, he was so mild, there was little effect even among the audience. This whole thing does have me scared because it is so reminiscent of 2000...and 2004. This was one reason why I was so pro-Hillary: she could give the Republicans a run for their money. I'm just afraid Obama can't.


And that's where I am right now: jaw clenched, head aching, wishing I didn't think this is going to end up as a replay of 2000.