For the first time that most of us can remember, the Republican party is fractured. Split. Divided. Even the disorganized and vastly divergent policies of the Democrats can take down an elephant so firmly mired in its own confusion, bewildered as his liver disagrees with his blood on how the poisons should be managed.

What I referenced as the behavior of “Republican leadership” is the one thing tying all the Indians together.

Really shitty campaigns.

Which is horrible. The Republican party brings many good things to the table. Though I disagree with their willingness to legislate morality, I absolutely agree with their unwillingness to provide the amorphous organization referred to as “the poor” with a lot of money and no direction. Honestly, as I’ve said before, though I’m not sure you remember, both sides have got their approach to the massive social problem that the increasing rich/poor divide represents and creates completely ass-backwards.

Honestly, though, Republicans need to get their heads “back in the game.” Stop shouting foul. Move on. Step up.

Or you’ll just be left behind, and everyone will suffer for it.

I simply was disgusted by the McCain campaign. I’ve become less and less impressed with the Republican leadership I do see for the very same reasons you have, though in different form.

I see all too many elections, state and nationwide, where the Republican candidate falls back into mudslinging, into decidedly ad hominem campaign strategy. It’s appalling, to me, and one of the biggest problems I have with your assertion that the average Obama supporter is stupid.

I would assert that the average McCain supporter was, at the least, uneducated in the proper ways to debate. The campaign he ran, as I alluded to, was entirely based on degradation, on riding Obama’s character into the ground. THIS is the reason for his failure, not his policies, and not Obama’s. Because he refused to address policy, instead attempting to attack Obama’s character, which didn’t give them a lot to go on. If one thing may be said about him, it’s that painting him as a bad man takes information that is decidedly falsified and/or stretched beyond its limits. Had McCain actually spoken about his policies, about his beliefs, about his plans, I would have listened. As it was? I refuse to listen to any political advertisements addressing the opposition. They are collectively inaccurate and sensationalist.

In McCain’s case, that meant I never listened at all.

Hate is a pretty serious charge and it is of course not true. I do not hate Obama. I come close to hating Hillary Clinton because I believe she is a phony and a liar and is generally not a good/well intentioned person. Obama is a politician, and an opportunist no doubt, but I don’t question his motives (yet). Time will tell.

I appreciate and welcome your comments. But your complaints (like most people) are always one-sided. In my writing, I am usually critical of both sides. Yet you, like most other ciritics, tend to only focus on whatever it is I said that is contrary to your opinion. Which is fine. Except when you start in about sour grapes, hate, losss of integrity, etc.

You’re making me deeply saddened that men like you play an integral role in our political system.

This is beyond sour grapes. This is pure hate.

I mean all disrespect that can be read here. I’ve lost much of the belief I had in your integrity.

I agree with your assessment about the average voter’s intellect which is why the founders’ probably only wanted those who owned property to be able to cast ballots. I suppose they reasoned that property owners had the most to risk in the aftermath of an election. We are certainly along way from those beginnings and some of those demons were exorcise by the electorate’s choice of Barack Obama as our next president. He ran a slick, internet savvy, highly sophisticated campaign that often reminded me of the movie starring Robert Redford called “The Candidate.” I am very thankful that the long, national connection with the Clintons seems to be at an end – New York can have her. She seems to be real loser in all of this – I can imagine her railing about it being her turn and her time. Obama proved to be adept at using his race as a shield against much criticism or satire and captured the imagination of many who felt that his differentness was enough to compensate for his inexperience. McCain should have said “I spent more time in a North Vietnamese prison of war camp then Barack Obama’s spent in government.” But America no longer values the warrior and the Oprah, Dr. Phil, culture is a silent cancer eating away at the inner, moral fabric of our identity and being wfrom within. Today patriotism is a bumper sticker, it used to be raising your hand and volunteering to serve without knowing when, or if, you were going to return. Our “what’s in it for me” attitude may be the beginning of the end. I pray President-elect Obama will be a change – but already the former Clintonistas are flooding back into the seats of power. I guess it must have been their turn.