Mood:
spaceyTopic: "Wrinkly,White-haired"(4)
Frodo has seen just about all of Paris Hilton that he can stand. What is particularly disheartening is that she is not being featured on the multitude of cable entertainment stations, but is appearing amidst that which is presented as news. Maybe the folly is nothing more than the entire viewing public taking a few days off before total immersion in the less than 90 days that separates insanity from the selection of a new Presidency. Frodo certainly hopes that is the case.
The charges and the counter-charges of everything from race-baiting to ignorance are really irritating, simply because they are not serious issues. Frodo is waiting for the real haymakers to come out of the woodwork, when desperation breeds contemptible, but effective, questions about the character of the opponent. Although Frodo would love to believe that both Obama and McCain are keeping some secret pledge to one another (discussed perhaps when they sat together at Tim Russert's funeral), he finds it hard to believe that no one is going to come forward with something truly scurrilous, like McCain's first wife.
It would behoove, thinks Frodo, for the old boy to prepare himself for the inevitable, which might develop something like this:
"Senator McCain?"
"Yes, my friend down here in the front row of this town hall meeting. What is your question?"
"Senator, I am an Obama supporter, and I would like to ask you for the facts, on the public record, disregarding any of the innuendo, regarding the failure of your first marriage."
"The record is clear, my friend. I am married now, for the second time, to a wonderful woman, and the strength of our relationship is there for everyone to see. I am, indeed, blessed."
"Uh Senator, that's not what I asked. I asked you to simply state what exists in the public record about the first marriage, in order to alleviate the kind of questions that can reflect poorly on individual conduct."
"You seem, my friend, intent on intruding in the personal affairs of private citizens, which I was, before any public office was sought or attained. Can I satisfy you by simply saying that being a POW for more than five years created a tremendous strain on my relationship with my first wife, and the irreparable damage which resulted was the primary cause? Is that good enough for you?"
"No Sir, it isn't. Sir, with all due respect, I have read, particularly on the Internet, that there was conduct unbecoming to an officer and a gentleman relative to the victim of an automobile accident. That conduct, and the lady's physical problems have been documented and presented by, shall we say, unconventional sources. I am merely asking you to acknowledge what is the truth, and to let us all walk away from the untrue. Right now, I don't think there are many, if any, potential voters who are even aware of any allegations of misbehavior."
"Is this the way the Obama Campaign is going to conduct itself? Slinging mud rather than addressing the serious issues that confront our country."
"Senator, I am trying to be respectful of you and your privacy. All I am asking is for you to simply state the facts of the public record."
"Well, my friend, I, for one, am going to conduct my campaign on a higher level than to infer that personal issues between a husband and a wife are fodder for political gain . Can we have another question please?"
Okay, now it's out there. Consider the question asked Senator, my friend.
