Beware Flying Mud

Despite the Presidential elections, let alone the primaries being a long way away, it seems it's not too early for candidates to begin throwing their hats into the ring. Across the country, from all parties, candidates are lining up to announce their candidacy or intention to run or at least give hints that they will. A few have even dropped out already due to the fact that they don't have the clout or prominence to attract big campaign contributors. And if these first few weeks are any indication, there's going to be a need for a lot of money in the coming campaign. But if it isn't too early for candidates to join in the race or drop out, then there's no way it can be too early to begin flinging mud right?

Mudslinging and politics have been inextricably linked probably from the beginning of time. Although it isn't likely, I like to imagine that the term came up back in the caveman days when two cavemen were in competition to be the tribal leader. They probably resorted to violence and in the end, began throwing mud at one another, hence the political process was formed and along with it, the peripheral mudslinging began as well. Since that time, or whenever it might actually be that political campaigns began to take a nasty turn in terms of personal attacks and such, it has now been elevated almost to an art form.

On the Democratic side you have two very dynamic yet outspoken personalities in Barak Obama and Hillary Clinton. Being in Washington we are exposed to much more of their point-counterpoint discussions that probably any other region in the country and already the competition between the two to attempt to win the nomination for President is heating up. Many consider these two to be the front runners for the nomination and that's all well and good, but it seems that the media at least, is more intent on highlighting their snipes at one another rather than their political messages. Here begineth the mudslinging.

Clinton has been a fixture in Washington since her days as a very politically active First Lady. Since that time she has taken on politics on her own and continues to be an active member of Congress. Every so often you'll have someone come out of the woodwork and comment upon how 'mean' she is, or how 'difficult' she can be to work with. Whatever the cases, they seem intent on defaming the character of Clinton rather than focussing their energy on what her political shortcomings are. Given that the opposition is already throwing attacks in her direction, it's no wonder that Obama is maintaining relative silence in this whole thing. But that's not to say he's immune to being attacked.

Obama is a relative newcomer to the Congressional world and as such, he hasn't been around long enough to have 'done wrong' in Washington political terms. Still, when you're dealing with a relatively unknown quantity, the best thing to do is attack the things you do know. Apparently he is unfit because people claim he has used drugs in the distant past, he had an abusive father who drank a lot and in general terms is too inexperienced to lead the country. Now is it just me or is it that this is not the first time such a candidate has run for office? We've had candidates (and Presidents) who have done drugs, had illicit affairs, been in accessory to deaths, abandoned their jobs, had little or no political experience, and were overall, ill-suited to do the job, so why then are we to be interested in these things?

I have yet to see a candidate who is perfect and I think that the sun will go supernova before that day occurs. If Obama's father was abusive then he was abusive, that has a minor effect on how the country is run. He used drugs in college? So what? So have the last two presidents of the country. By trying to defame the character of a candidate, any candidate, I feel that we are 'dumbing' down the process to more of a popularity contest. The person who is more dynamic and interesting will always come out on top because they will respond to the charges and continue moving forward. In the end, whether it is Obama, Clinton, or whoever else who comes forward for the election, I hope that the American people will look to the person rather than what their cousin's sister's brother's aunt's nephew did during their days in pre-school. We need leaders, not experts in a mud ball fight.