Don't Vote Until You Read This
Facts can be slippery things, especially when it comes to politics and politicians. This campaign, with its unprecedented barrage of news coverage, video clips, bloggers, and E-mails, has also had an unprecedented collection of alleged facts flying through the ether. Policy pronouncements, position papers, numerical analyses all assertively making a case for one side or the other. And all lacking for the most part in what a reasonable person would call objective truth. How to keep up? What's real, and what's made up?
The special election guide is our attempt to freeze-frame the madness and sum up the state of play as we slide into what will surely be an unbearably intense finale to one of the most interesting and important elections in many years. We've taken a deep breath and a step back to lay out the issues and the personalities in a way that should help you make a decision. Admittedly, there's no science to this. The complexity and fluidity of the problems facing any president make it impossible to dissect proposed solutions with precision. We've been doing this for many years, and I have to tell you, it doesn't get any easier. But details aside, there are clear differences in the approach that each candidate takes, and we've laid those out as clearly as we can. We try to be skeptical but not cynical about the various promises.
Issues can also be overrated. I know that sounds like heresy, but sometimes it's not just about the facts; it's about the man. Or woman. How would someone deal with the known unknowns and the dreaded un known unknowns? Character matters, and so does biography, which is why we've tried over many months to report on who these people are. In the end, casting a vote is a gut-level decision that every citizen has to make independently. But like any good decision, it should be based on a combination of facts and instincts. A great many of those facts are in, but not all of them. As I said last month, I always wait until Election Day before I make up my mind. I know many of my fellow journalists have declared this race is over—some seem to have come to that conclusion a long time ago. But where's the fun in that? I think it's just getting interesting. I hope you do as well. Check back here often, as we'll be updating our coverage online until all the votes are in.
In the meantime, I'd like to hear your thoughts on the 2008 presidential campaign and the coverage. Drop me an E-mail at editor@usnews.com, or join the real-time comments fray below.
—Brian Kelly
Tags: presidential election 2008
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Reader Comments
cancer
I do believe that we are making progress on cancer. Over the years, my father and 4 brothers have died from cancer, so I am understandably concerned and interested in keeping up. I have see improvements in treating cancer in my family.
Are you still collecting CAMPAIGN comments? --For next time...
In the Editor's Note obviously written on or before 10/20 although the publication date of 10/27 is not so long ago, you asked about campaigns and coveraage, while most of the responses I'm skimming through seem to be about candidates.
What would LOVE to see in the future are actual debates, or even better, civilized discussions. I watched the Biden/Palin show hoping to learn something; what I learned was that Palin had spent her last two or three weeks memorizing things. And the "debates" seem to be run as a showcase for the TV folks, not as anyting actually informative for voters.
It can be done. I watched some discussions in NH among candidates for lower level offices, and they were both civilized and fairly substantive. Follow-ups were allowed pretty much anyone, even pressing the time issues when a point was significant. I will watch them again. I will NOT watch again the canned talking-point shows.
In line with this, I think the American people are entitled to hear from candidates outside the two main parties. We are entitled to hear real words and ideas from real people with varying points of view.
Anything that USNews can do toward bringing these changes would be a magnificent service to the American people and political system. I agree with the reader who said that all candidates who have achieved ballot status should be heard, and treated equally with their direct competitors.
McCain comment during election campaign
McCain makes comments about Obama that are true. Obama makes comments about McCains comments about Obama. Obama says that McCain is lying, however there has been much evidence that McCain is not lying. So much for rhetoric. We needed to know the things that McCain had been saying, the character of who we elect is very important. Obama has character, bad, dishonest character...he will no get my vote.
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