Vote Obama

The past two weeks in American politics have been both interesting and disturbing.  The contrast of the messaging between the Democratic National Convention (DNC) and the Republican National Convention (RNC) are day and night.  On the Democrat side, you have a party with a platform of changing the status quo, to be forward thinking and progressive and to try to bring unity and hope to the American people.  On the Republican side, you have a party with a platform of fear and divisiveness, one that focuses on attacking the opponents with blatant lies and twisted truths, and one that turns a blind eye to the real problems and issues that Americans face today.

To be fair, politics is not a game for the faint hearted.  For what is at stake, all parties that play this game must be playing to win.  However, I find it very disturbing when watching the RNC how angry, harsh and sarcastic the attacks were, while there was very little or no substance to their words.  To take people’s words out of context is one thing, but to tell blatant lies with a straight and smiling face is going to a whole new level.  And to watch the misinformed crowd just drink up the Kool-Aid and getting all raucous and fired up from these attacks was even more disturbing.  Maybe being Canadian, I am just too naive to this side of the political spectrum.  I am too naive to understand how a party who’s base members align themselves with conservatism and good Christian religious beliefs and values, can encourage and relish this type of politics.

The newest member to this game is Republican vice president candidate, Sarah Palin.  On Wednesday she gave a strong and sharp acceptance speech during the convention that earned her the a self-described “pit bull with lipstick” title.  However, although I will give her credit for her delivery and ability to lift the crowd, I found the content and the sarcastic tone of her messaging too over the top.  After playing victim and having the McCain camp accusing the media of sexism and attacking her family, she came out with guns a blazing - and mocked, ridiculed and outright lied about Barack Obama and his family, while stretching the truth on her own accomplishments.

Here’s a fact check breakdown of some of the items in her speech:
http://news.yahoo.com/story/ap/20080904/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_fact_check/

As I said before, politics is not a game for the faint hearted.  Alls fair in love and war … and you can reasonably put politics in that sentence as well.  But to honestly to come off with such harsh attacks, telling blatant lies in her first speech to a national audience is not necessarily the first impression you want to portray to those you want to convert.  In fact, it will only add fuel to your competition as displayed by Obama’s record hauling fundraising of over $10 million in a day, the day after her speech.

The RNC focused on the attacks on Obama and his family and conveniently ignored the most important issues on the minds of Americans.  So let me sum it all up with a fusion of two well known statements.  Sticks and stones my break my bones … but it’s the economy, stupid.