When it comes to politics I’m more of an Alan Jackson type: “I watch CNN, but I’m not sure I can tell you the difference between Iraq and Iran…” Actually, I prefer Shepherd Smith at Fox, but I digress.
First, McCain gets a front page NY Times sleazy write up about a possible affair and inappropriate actions on behalf of a lobbyist. Today, it’s more of the same. Well, except he’s not being accused of sleeping with Lowell W. “Bud” Paxson of Paxson Communications. Instead we’re treated to the ”he said – he said” slant about memory problems. Think Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte. A former Paxson president says no meeting occurred. Dean Goodman, head of Paxson lobbying in 1999, doesn’t think ol’ Bud met with McCain either. Paxson, however, thinks he and Iseman “probably” met with McCain.
Right across the page, the headline teases, “Clinton says Obama uses ‘Rove’s playbook’.” He’s double-talking, she accuses. He says he stands by his mailings, which maybe aren’t quite as inspiring as his speeches. It won’t get really nasty until the Dems choose a target candidate.
All of which supports my premise: Who in their right mind would run for office???? We all have skeletons, things that, when made public, can be twisted, slanted, criticized, second-guessed. Missteps that we really don’t want publicized. Yet, somehow, we expect the guy or gal who wants to run our country to be pristine, perfect, mistake free.
Trust me, folks. You don’t get that far up the ladder without making a deal or two; without using your power to sway, or force, things the direction you want them to go. That’s why people seek power – to impact outcomes! As altruistic as they may be when elected, the theory of reciprocity runs Washington. I’ll give you X if you give me Y. It’s the same theory that marketing gurus use every day. I’ll give you a coupon, or a sale, or a bonus if you buy my product. And, it works. We buy the item. Be honest. When’s the last time you asked ”how” when your Senator or Representative brought home a bonanza for your state?
If the press used the same microscope on the execs running our Fortune 500, the ones who are currently making my road to a happy retirement one terrifying roller-coaster ride, I doubt the results would vary much. They sleep around, coerce, get lots of freebies from their exalted positions, show a little, or a lot, of temper on occasion as they wheel and deal to bring us double-digit growth or profits or dividends.
I’ve always said, “If I ran for office I’d give the press a list of every screw-up I’d ever committed, well, the ones I remembered. Then, maybe we could focus on the issues.” Not likely by the way. I have skeletons. Instead, I expressed my distaste for politics in ASSISTdead,where I treat an everyday Homicide Detective to the press’ microscope - with the help of a psychopath, of course since I do write Scintillating Psychological Suspense. So, If you’re sick of watching your candidate take a public harpooning, curl up with Detective Taylor instead. After all, her crucifixion is only fiction.
Enjoy a free preview in a 3D fun-to-read e-book for only $3.99 at
P.T. Harris and Frugal Fiction.
No Comments Yet
No comments yet.
Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI
Leave a comment
