or should the "gotcha games" continue on?
In the last election, former Senator George Allen got caught up in a verbal "gaffe" when he refferred to a young man hired to follow him around for his opponents campaign effort as "Macacca." the "controversy" raged on for weeks, mostly fueled by Allen's unwillingness to come clean about where he picked up the slur and the result would be essentially throwing his mother under the bus. He, like most sons, refused to do that. It. Along with a vote that at least appeared to deny troops the body armor they need to fight for our freedom, it pretty much cost him the election.
In 2004, an enthusiastic Howard Dean went out to rally his supporters after a dissapointing 3rd place finish. And because some saw him as a little too enthusiastic, he was branded as "angry" and a "loose cannon." A few weeks later, Dean was forced out of the primaries.
A few years before that, trent Lott was giving a tribute to an old friend. In that speech, he gave him some verbal "pats on the back" that were turned into a statement where Lott was a racist who really wanted a segregated country. It cost Lott his leadership post in the Senate. The old friend died shortly after, so we didn't have to worry about any more tributes.
In the 90's, we all watched as a President's marital infidelity was used and exploited and trumped up into the infamous perjury charges and impeachment. This because he didn't want to make his wife look like a fool in front of the nation.
And just a few months ago, John Kerry had his joke about the President turned into an insult of the troops by the right wing spin machine. It didn't change any election results, but i'm sure troop morale didn't go up because of the spun-up news.
This week, Senator Joe Biden, my homestate Senator announced his candidacy for president. On the day of his announcement, Biden did an interview that was most importantly describing his "split it into 3" federalist type goverment plan for Iraq. The plan, one that most experts say, whether they agree or disagree with his conclusions, is about the most well thought out and sophisticated plan from anyone in the democratic party and deserves a fair look.
Did that happen? Absolutely not.
The media, which acts like "6 year olds playing soccer" according to John Stewart, pounced all over 3 statements that had nothing to do with his plan. And turned one statement, meant to be a compliment, into a cut at fellow Senator Barack Obama.
The other 2 statements were in regards to rival proposals and ideas from also running for president contenders John Edwards and Hillary Clinton. Biden criticized the rival ideas as not very good, essentially. And he was scrutinized for that.
Have we entered an age of politics where a candidate cannot question the policy proposals or stances of his or her opponents? I'm not talking about "trashy-negative politics" but honest criticizm followed up by the candidates own ideas for success in any given area.
But overshadowing those statements was the one Biden made of Barack Obama. Biden was attempting to compliment his rival by pointing out that Obama may be the 1st really great "total package" kind of candidate many had been looking for over the years from the black community. Obama doesn't carry the controversial and outspoken civil rights baggage that candidates like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson did. He actually has some mainstream following, unlike a Carol Mosley Braun, Alan Keyes and others who couldn't get 5% of the vote before them.
But the media and pundits turned Biden's awkwardly worded "off the cuff" complimentary attempt as some sort of rip on the fellow Senator.
Biden, unlike Allen last summer, and many others who have been victims of "gotcha" lines, immediately came out and explained himself. He personally spoke to Obama, Jackson, Sharpton, Braun and anyone else he could get to listen. It seems that none of the people who were supposed to be all offended actually were to any great degree. Jesse Jackson announced it would be a shame that a guy like Biden, who has earned his civil rights stripes over the years, to be forced out of this election with all his experience and ideas, over a mistaken slip-up of words and context. Obama's 1st words in response indicated no offense was taken. And it was only Sharpton who made any beef at all, while still essentially excusing the Senator from any malice or intent to harm. As for Carol, no one really knows how she feels, nor cares...kind of like her presidential run. Keyes is probably still writing his response, but rest assured, it will probably point out that Alan himself is the only person qualified to judge others on the face of the earth.
But aren't you just tired of it? Tired of the attempts of "gotcha politics" to take us far away from the actual issues and decisions our nation is going to face in the next few years? I know I am.
This next Presidential election will be monumental. It will be about big decisions that await us in both foreign and domestic policy. I know it is cliche, but it just might be the most important Presidential election of our generation. There should be huge discussions and debates about our role in Iraq, our tactics in comabtting the tactic of terrorism and those who use it. there should be interesting debate and discussion about our healthcare, our retirement years, social security and other "entitlements." There should be vast discussion and debate about our government's role in society, transperency in government, what powers each branch of government actually has and so on...
But we probably won't.
We will probably be all focused on who allegedly said what in some off camera interview or in a friendly chat with a colleague. The pundits will have the rest of the media jumping around trying to simotaneously pounce on the proverbial soccer ball. I envision debate and discussion over who is a racist or who slept with who 25 years ago and flippant jokes being psychoanalyzed to the 'nth degree.
All this, while our nation faces the most serious questions in our history. If we play the gotcha game again, we will once again get the "government we deserve." Heck, some will probably read this article and start attacking me over examples I used as a means to start a brand new argument over those old "gotcha" type stories.
I sure hope not. I, like most, have even participated in the "gotcha games" in the past. But i'm tired of them. Are you? Wouldn't you rather get to the business of finding out who has the best ideas, the right mix of experiences in life and has our faith as the best person to lead us into the next decade of our nation?
I sure hope so.