handbags at dawn

A few weeks ago I wrote a tongue-in-cheek 'Letter To America', which in a rather roundabout way congratulated the presidential candidates and their supporters for running such a serious-minded and enlightening campaign. I'd be less likely to write the same letter now.

The last few weeks have seen an unedifying series of graceless sniping and bitching from both sides (although I'd have to allocate more blame to the McCain camp) on issues that are fundamentally bullshit. Bigger arguments about Iraq, energy, and the environment have been obscured by the buzzing back-and-forth of attack ads, faux-angry memoes and conference calls. This week has been the worst so far.

First the McCain camp release an ad that compares Obama to Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, suggesting that he's an empty celebrity rather than a potential president. The ad is flamboyantly stupid, and self-defeating: all of the pictures of Obama show him making speeches to massive crowds and grinning handsomely, even as the voiceover and titles question his readiness to lead. Pictures usually trump words in TV - so the ad's most visceral communication is probably that Obama is popular and likeable. And if you do listen to the intended message, you're likely to think McCain sour and a bit unpleasant for delivering it.

Then, after Obama made what may or may not have been a reference to his race when discussing likely GOP tactics, the McCain team leapt on him for 'playing the race card'. Their confected anger is entirely opportunistic - as Chuck Todd points out, any time race is an issue in this campaign it's bad for Obama, and McCain knows it.

But it's not like the Obama team is doing anything to raise the tone either. They're also perpetrators of the perpetual cycle of outrage and offence that supposedly represents effective political campaigning these days (exemplified by their depressingly heavy-handed response to the New Yorker cover).

Maybe it's just the dog days of summer. Here's hoping that, post-conventions, things will get grown-up again...

Comments

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