So...who's this REALLY about?

[Mythsaje]

The Obama camp is crying "racism!" (Not without reason, I might add). The Clinton camp is crying "Sexism!" (Also not without reason). Each camp seems intent on fire-bombing the opposing candidate with as much flaming excrement as possible. It's not about the issues. It's NEVER about the issues. It's always about the candidates--are they manly men, or are they a reasonable facsimile thereof?

Who's the "top of the pops" this week? Two states down and there's a tremendous amount of chest-beating going on. The media is quick to trumpet "it's a TWO person race!" Well, we always knew they wanted a horse-race. They're damn well going to make sure they get one.

While both major candidates and their people are doing their level best to convince us "it's about ME!"

I beg to differ. It's about US, not you. Either of you. It's about the citizens of the U.S. you have been sworn to serve. I know it's inconvenient, and annoying, because that guy dragging up the rear keeps on mentioning folks who shouldn't rightfully be included in ANY Presidential race. Folks nobody with any class would keep bringing to the dance.

In my eyes, and obviously in John Edwards's eyes, these are the people who matter most. The people that most politicians and (apparently) most voters wish would just go away. But they're not going away. And Johnny has no intention of letting them fade from view just because their presense is inconvenient.

See, John captured 2nd place in Iowa, and came in a distant third in New Hampshire. All that suggests is that there is a sizeable minority of Americans, in those states, at least, who give a damn about something other than celebrity. That are actually listening to the message. And think it's important.

As long as we allow the media to make this about personality rather than issues, we're feeding the monster. As long as we refuse to talk about the invisibles and have-nots, nothing is going to ever get better.

We're being led merrily down the primrose path to find the canker in the heart of it all. The elitists who STILL want to make this about them.

Well, I not-so-respectfully disagree. It's not about them. It's about the rest of us, as much as the media would like us to forget that. It's about the forgotten and silent, and those of us who stand where we can still see them, and can reach down to help them out of the gloom.

It's about the poor, the disadvantaged, and a strong middle class that can, finally, pull them up into the light.

edited to fix a mistake in punctuation.

[Richard Steele]

1. K&R

[hisownpetard]

K&R. WooHoo!!!!!!!!

:headbang: :yourock: :applause: :applause: :applause: :yourock: :headbang:

[kurth]

2. So, when the racists join the sexists, we get Clinton/Obama ?

[Hardrada]

3. That may be too facile a view.

[bigtree]

4. you got it just right, Mythsaje

:kick:

[thunder rising]

5. Obama camp? Clinton camp? and what?

Please define "camp". Is that the DU members, the campaigns, the candidates themselves? Cause if you say candidates I'm going to call you a liar. Here on DU, some members (? since everybody is anonymous) say things the campaign and the candidates have not even implied.

The concern trolls are certainly out in force. One troll makes a statement as a supporter and the next uses it as fact. Don't buy into this crap.

[Mythsaje]

6. Everyone is NOT anonymous.

I'm not.

Are you reading the news stories posted here? It's not just on DU. It's everywhere.

[Orsino]

7. If we keep rewarding candidates for pandering...

...we'll get the best panderers to lead us. History says that's what we want.

[Mythsaje]

8. Well, apparently it's what the majority of us want.

Thinking for yourself becomes rarer by the day.

[OzarkDem]

15. Not so sure, the Edwards media blackout

means most voters this year aren't really aware there's a different kind of campaign going on. I'm sure people would love to follow a different kind of campaign, if they had the opportunity. But the media blackout of Edwards campaign means that forum for discussing issues is no longer available.

[Mythsaje]

16. I know. It's infuriating. n/t

[Lerkfish]

9. excellent rant!

kicked

[AzDar]

10. K & R....

:kick:

[bvar22]

11. Good Work! I sooooo agree.

K&R
:toast:


The Democratic Party is a BIG TENT, but there is NO ROOM for those
who advance the agenda of THE RICH (Corporate Owners) at the EXPENSE of LABOR and the POOR.

[annabanana]

12. Dj'a ever feel like you're yelling into the wind?

Damn the media, really. They smother and stifle and claim the right to frame everything.

[Mythsaje]

13. Oh, yeah.

But I've got a fairly big voice.

:D

[OzarkDem]

14. Very true, its about the issues

not about turning primary races into the political version of Celebrity Death Match.

I'm not sure if Obama and Hillary are getting bad advice or if they don't have complete control of the new Southpark Generation of campaign staffers. If they're serious about winning they'll crack some heads or fire some of these idiots who think a political campaign should just be one big flamewar.

Talk about the issues folks.

[SeattleGirl]

17. Yes, it IS about US, though the media (and unfortunately, the candidates

in many cases) don't want us to go there. They want us to forget it's about US. They want us to think who's the cooler one among THEM.

I'm so tired of being left out of the process. I'm tired of voting for people who don't care as much about us as they would like us to believe.

It's WE THE PEOPLE, not WE THE CANDIDATES.

I wish they would remember that.

:-(

[hfojvt]

18. very nicely put, except for one huge thing

or two maybe.

That racism and sexism, although they may be directed at the candidates, those issues ARE about us too.

Okay, they aren't about me, since I'm a white guy, but they are about many of us.

[Mythsaje]

20. Except that the arguments they've been using are spurious...

We're not gaining anything from the way the issue is being introduced into the campaigns. In fact, we're losing out over it.

[butterfly77]

19. For some people its about what...

Tweety and Scarborough tell them as in, how,what and who to think about...

[smokey nj]

21. You're on a roll today.....

and I love you for it!!
K&R!

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

22. I must say, I feel in a perpetual state of confusion, these days.

What the hell happened to that society that ADMIRED the best qualities of human beings: tolerance, generosity, honor, honesty, patience, courage, humility, compassionate, caring, equitable.

Nowadays, our society seems to embrace greed, deception, self-service, intolerance, inequity, "stuff/crap". Those/that within our society generally representing the WORST human characteristics are blatantly obvious: the multi-nationals and their corporacrats.

:shrug: