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Mike Moser We need a statesman -- I realize some readers are thoroughly captivated
by politics and at one time I was pretty rabid on the subject
myself. I lost the passion for politics years ago and am not
sure the exact date, or the reason why. This week the first of the presidential debates
were held and my initial response is, "Who cares?"
That might seem a shocking revelation for
a newspaper editor to confess such a sin, but I do so with no
reservations attached. I am afraid I didn't leave the political
process as much as the process left me a long time ago, and today
I find nothing in common with national politics and myself. Especially
when it comes to presidential politics. Having international friends I realize that
much of the world is affected by who we elect as our leader.
I take my right to vote seriously. I just don't take the cast
of characters who run for political office seriously. Who can? Take the debates, and I wonder how many of
our readers really watched every minute of it. And if you did,
do you appreciate all the expert commentators telling you what
you just viewed? I don't. I like to think that I am capable of
digesting the dialogue on my own without someone telling me what
I just heard. On one hand you have George W. Bush, someone whom I suspect suffers from the Napoleonic complex. According to the pundits, he flip-flops on
issues more than I change channels trying to find a decent show
to watch on TV. They spew out statistics and arguments about
issues and I have no idea if they are telling the truth or hoodwinking
me. Then there is Tennessee's Al Gore. I met Gore
when he represented this district in the early '80s and was very
impressed with his charisma and his presence. But his memory
is failing much like mine and you have to wonder about some of
the claims and statements he has made that fall off the edge
of reality. And what were those facial expressions he
was making while Bush was talking? Reminds me of what my children
do when I lecture them (for the umpteenth time) about how to
conduct themselves and to "act like you are somebody." Another reason I didn't watch the debates
is the way they treated some of the minor party candidates, namely
Pat Buchanan and Ralph Nader. Buchanan was speaker at Troy State University
25 years ago when I was honored by the college. This was on the
heels of Watergate and Buchanan's service in the Nixon administration. I had never heard such acidic and bitter comments
coming from a political figure. John Cochran of NBC news was
also a speaker on the program and later he told me Buchanan was
just "in the bitter business." Nader ... hmmmmmmm .... is he still alive???
Still trying to save us from ourselves, I guess. Anyway, they wouldn't let Nader into the debate
even though he had a ticket. Wouldn't even consider letting Buchanan
and Nader participate in the debate. What were the two major
parties afraid of? I still do not know who I will vote for in
the Nov. 7 election (and yes, contrary to what Bill Clinton said
Wednesday, the election is Nov. 7 and not Nov. 2) and might not
know until I close the curtain on election day. I doubt that
I am alone. Man, this country needs a statesman. And wouldn't
hurt to have a political party that stands for something and
does not try to include everyone. I have always been suspicious
of those who claim to represent everyone, or worse yet, "The
People." Who are these people? If someone finds them, will you call me and tell me where they are? |