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When the mud flies …

Aspen, CO Colorado

The next time you are in the company of family or friends, ask them what they know more about ” Barack Obama’s health care policy, or his former preacher.

Or, try asking them where vice presidential can­didate Sarah Palin stands on the war in Iraq. And then quiz them about the background of the young man responsible for impregnating her 17-year-old daughter. The smart money says they’ll know more about her future son-in-law.

Yes, it has come to this, and if you had not heard the phrase “lipstick on a pig” last week, then you certainly know about it now.



Pardon us for sounding cliched or haughty, but whatever happened to candidates discussing the issues?

If this were not such a high-stakes election ” it is for the Oval Office, after all ” we likely would be entertained by all of the campaign jabs being deliv­ered and received, not to mention the phony out­rage from each side at the tactics of the other. But this campaign has deteriorated to nothing but dou­ble- standards on both sides ” whether it’s about racism, sexism or other offensiveisms.




It’s enough to make us want to vote for Ralph Nader. But now is not the time for a protest vote.

We’re naive enough to hope that once this Palin­mania (both the hero-worship and the demoniza­tion) settles down, the campaign silliness will go away, and the public will get a steady diet of some of the less sexy (can we say that?) issues ” like the war, the economy, taxation, and health care. While we’re at it, let’s hope the candidates actually delve into Western issues like energy policy and public lands.

In the meantime, maybe now is the perfect time to take a vacation from all of this mudslinging and participate in something more meaningful. Taking a shower would be a good start.