Both major conventions are now in the rear view mirrors of the respective parties and, as one very articulate pundit put it, the "horses are out of the gate."
Why do we insist on being gracious with people who insist on using sports metaphors for everything we do? I'm as much about "lighten up" as the next guy, but when it comes to making a measured and, hopefully, mature decision as to who to choose to live at 1600 Pennsylvania for the next four years, I really don't visualize Seabiscuit.
Nevetheless...
Both top of the ticket acceptance speeches have already been hashed, re-hashed and re-re-hashed (this process likely to continue until either a) one of them says something realy boneheaded and the media herd swims over to that pool of blood in the water...or b) the first debate concludes at which time each and every thing that either candidate said will be hashed and re-hashed, etc.....)
Can't speak for you but, man, I really miss the days of three TV networks that signed on at dawn and off at midnight. Twenty four/seven multi channel television is directly responsible for the endless yammering required to fill twenty four hours, seven days a week.
Meanwhile...
From what I've seen, heard, read thus far, the basic consensus is that neither Mitt Romney nor Barack Obama gave us the kind of speech we were all, in the heart of our political hearts, hoping they would give.
Or, as one very articulate pundit put it, neither of them "parked it over the center field fence."
Dear God, please bring back the Star Spangled Banner at the stroke of twelve on my flat screen. Thank you. Amen.
As for the primary point, which is that while both candidates landed a few good shots, a couple of sharp jabs here, a couple of solid body blows there, nobody delivered a knockout punch...
...heavens to Murg....now I'm spewing sports myself.....
Put more succinctly....
Neither Barack Obama nor Mitt Romney spelled out, in one two three, bullet point fashion, what they intend to do, specifically, in one two three, bullet point fashion about anything.
From Medicare to military spending...from joblessness to the price of gasoline.
From soup to nuts, from here to eternity, from Boulder to Birmingham.
Here's politics in plain English.
When you run for any office of any kind, you have to, at least, attempt to do something that we are told from our earliest days is essentially impossible.
Be all things to all people.
Individualism, that pesky trait we all possess that gives each of us our own set of values, beliefs and, more insidiously, a family value pack size can of "here's what I think you should do", results in a candidate's search for common ground almost an exercise in futility.
In that light, the search for common ground makes searching for Amelia Earhart seem like finding your misplaced keys.
And if you can't be all things to all people, there is, regardless of what we hope, pray, believe and/or what others hope, pray, believe and insist, only one alternative.
One.
And that is for candidates to tell us exactly, in no uncertain terms, in simple words that even the Honey Boo Boo crowd could understand, what it is they mean to do as President.
Without, of course, telling us exactly, in no uncertain terms, in simple words that even the Honey Boo Boo crowd could understand.
Personally, I neither agree, nor disagree, with anything or everything I've heard or read said by Mr. Romney and/or Mr. Obama at this stage.
I was going to say stage of the game, but I'm really going to swear off the sports stuff, if at all possible.
And, if asked, I would say, yes, I was a little dissappointed that what I heard from these two in Tampa and Charlotte, respectively, was really just another collection of one liners, catch phrases and vague generalites wrapped in the American flag and a poltical party banner.
Dissapointed, but not surprised.
Because I learned, from watching closely, a long time ago, that running for office isn't about bringing people to your point of view.
It's about not turning people away from it.
And the only way you can do that is to say nothing.
In no uncertain terms.
I think these are two honorable men.
And while I agree with those who say that they weren't specific enough about what they want, and intend, to do if they are given a four year lease on that big famous house, I know why they weren't specific.
It wasn't because they won't.
It's because they can't.
No comments:
Post a Comment