Politics. Yeah. I am Really Going There.

I have been watching what I can of the Democratic National Convention considering I don't have a television. Most of what I get comes from online videos found at various sites: YouTube, MSNBC, BarakObama.com, etc. Last night we went to Drew's house to watch Bill Clinton and Joe Biden speak. I thought Former President Clinton knocked it out of the park and Joe Biden was appropriately aggressive. Tonight is Barak Obama's turn. According to the DNC schedule he will speak at 8pm mountain time. I recommend everyone, whether Democrat, Republican, Green, Libertarian, Label-Adverse, whatever, tune in.

And here is why:

Love or hate the message, you will hear straight from the man himself without the filter of talking heads.

I spend time scrolling through blogs written by people I agree with and last night I watched the speeches on a news network that leans left. I know this. But when it comes to something as important as the presidential race I want to hear the real words without spin. That is why I enjoy debates.

The Republican National Convention begins on September 1st. I will also catch as much of that as I can and will make sure not to miss John McCain's speech. Not because my mind is not made up but because I want to hear him speak straight too.

I am frustrated by the 24 hour news networks endless spin and opining. Can it really be called news at this point? Because of my personal political beliefs I place Fox News squarely at the head of a poisonous pack but I hold all of them in contempt.

To fill their 24 hours of info these stations are latching on to any and every tidbit - true, false or unconfirmed, and lending them credibility. Stephanie pointed out that she has seen headlines on the online outlets of news stations highlighting info gleaned from blogs. Now I love a good political blog as much as the next person but bloggers are not (for the most part) journalists. A news story from a blogger should be on an opinion page and not a lead story. I am beginning to ramble here but I hope I am making my point.

Barak Obama has launched a website to combat the smear tactics that are first put out by fringe lunatics and then given weight when the news networks give it air time. I don't know if John McCain has, or has need of, a similar website. People of the internet, pardon my language, but that is uber-bullshit.

There is an abundance of misinformation on both sides. It is our responsibility as Americans and voters to vet out the truth. Somewhere between Fox News and MSNBC lies a kernal of reality and truth. Vote Democrat, Vote Republican, Vote Ross Perot. Do whatever is true to your conscience but do it with a wealth of reality and truth behind it.

For the record:

• Barak Obama is NOT a muslim
• Barak Obama did NOT attend a madrassa
• Barak Obama is NOT the devil
• Barak Obama is NOT Osama Bin Laden
• Barak Obama is NOT an elitist
  

I wish I were being funny by overstating things but I HEAR people who really, really believe the above statements. Why is it even necessary to refute malarkey like this? How can we begin to have a political debate about the economy and foreign policy when the starting point is crap like this?

Oh, one more thing: when did being a smart and educated person who thinks things through become a liability? Why is that so often portrayed as a flaw for Obama? It makes him an elitist who had no grasp of the lives of "ordinary" Americans. Really? Isn't he an example of the American Dream gone right? And if we are talking about "ordinary" Americans, may I just say that I don't want an "ordinary' American to be President. I want an extraordinary American to be President.