The Power of Speech

Shiny Baubles

Does anyone remember the old Danny Kaye/Bing Crosby movie, “White Christmas”?. There was a device in it involving Danny Kaye after he saved Bing Crosby’s life in World War II. So anytime he wanted something from Bing Crosby, he’d hold his arm and hang his head, with the disappointment and sense of entitlement left unspoken.  Finally, Bing has this look of exasperation with hands on his hips, “Oh, you’re not going to drag up that tired old bit with your arm, are you?”

Well, John McCain is not only holding his arm, he’s got a girl with glasses he’s put in front of him to say, “Look, you’re not going to beat up on a war hero with a GIRL on the ticket, are you?!!!”  This is getting a little bit scary. Because Barack Obama and John McCain both had to endure a trial by fire during the campaign season to reach the end game.  And John McCain has pulled a Palin from his hat and is holding her before the electorate like a shiny new bauble is held before a baby.  “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain, I am the Great and Powerful Oz!”

Are we going to let this election become about, as John McCain’s campaign STRATEGIST has suggested, “Personalities rather than issues”?  Because if we allow this, then the Democrats are going to lose more than just an election over the next eight weeks.  We are going to pound one more nail into the coffin that is our standing in the world by allowing ourselves to be distracted by smoke and mirrors in these last remaining weeks.  We are going to diminish our capacity to govern because our free press is not doing the job they are set up to do which is to ask hard questions of our nation’s highest leaders.

We are again going to allow ourselves to be misled and the uninformed electorate will again prevail.  Now is not the time to be distracted by shiny new baubles like Sarah Palin. Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country.