Americans Away From Home

It's a bit sickening about the money, really, that's being spent here on things like this.  But what's a candidate to do?

First Hillary:  Whack!  Take that, Obama!  Will children be safe if it's you answering the emergency phone in the middle of the night?  Don't we want the one who knows world leaders, has experience, will be ready, to be the one answering that call?

Hit Back!  Obama:  Children *will* be safe, if I'm the one answering.  The phone's already rung.  I said no to Iraq; I didn't want to distract us from fighting Al Quaeda in Afghanistan.  Don't we want someone with judgment answering that call?

Do these ads serve a purpose, if they parry so rapidly it's hard to tell the charge from the countercharge?  If seeing Ad #2 cancels out what Ad #1 charged, is it like a family with two voters picking opposite candidates to vote for, neutering out any real effect?

Pity the poor candidate who hasn't got a spare million sitting around to issue a response ad so quickly. 

Is this your vision of America?  It's repeated in organized letter-writing campaigns to newspapers and TV stations; in the chanting of supporters mirroring the opposition's chanters; in the dueling emails and phone calls voters get.

Choosing this President, this year, is too important to vote Madison Avenue.  You can watch both videos and see for yourself! (NY Times article and two videos here).

Carole