Vote for...McPalinobamabiden

They're funny.

Observations, that is.

Perception is even more drole.

For that last little while, all I've heard on the radio is a lot of talk about Sarah Palin. Depending from what perspective it comes from, some of it has been positive, some negative.

Mostly negative. Unless you're this guy. Then it's all good. Down boy.

I'm all for making fun of public figures, but the discourse descended upon us about Palin has been downright weird - and hopelessly hypocritical. But I choose not to expand on this.

Sure she asks to pray for pipelines, hunts caribou (or something), has the usual questionable political track record that is standard with politicians and has chick sex appeal.

She even believes in creationism, from what I read.

All this is fair game.

And if it's fair game for her it should be for the other side as well.

True story.

My kitchen table.

It was bash a Republican and Conservative Party night. A few people who carry the same blood as me, though not the same brain (thank God), spent quite a bit of time babbling about how "dumb" Republicans are.

Yeah, they don't strike me as worldly (although McCain has been to Vietnam) but my way to offer a rebuttal was to simply point out that none of the Fantastic Four impressed me all that much.

"What? You don't like Obama? You'd better hope he wins..."

"Or what?" I said.

"Or...Americans are crazy if they don't vote for him."

"Isn't that a tad judgmental? Besides, shouldn't we be focusing on our own elections?"

Of course, Canadian politics isn't as dynamic as American politics. Or at least, as wild.

So it shifted a little. Big mistake. More blah, blahs. Like:

"The Conservatives are cutting the arts!"

So what? Have you seen some of the scrap out there thanks to government grants? Besides, from what I can tell, spending on the arts is actually up with Harper. The Liberal party cut the arts. And you guessed it, now they're all over the Conservatives saying how "out of touch" with the average Canadian Harper and his Hidden Agendists really are. Man, are the Liberals a funny bunch.

Heeeeeeeeere's Stevie Harper and the Hidden Agendists!

Should we be surprised the spending on the arts is up considering the Conservatives are spenders? Besides, maybe some of these "artists" really shouldn't be artists and should get a haircut and get a real job. I'm just guessing.

Another family member keep sending me videos exposing McCain lies and gaffes. Word of advice: avoid videos, where necessary, with the words "truth" and "real" in them. As in "the truth about..." and "the real..."

When I mentioned that one can make and edit a video on just about anyone in this manner, it was ignored. I added that Obama hasn't been above making errors - remember he's apparently been to 57 States. My sibling scoffed at this and rolled her eyes, "You can't possibly believe Obama thinks there are 57 states?"

She was right.

I don't.

It was an error.

But when McCain made the "Shiite and Shia" faux pas, it was taken at face value: that he was just another dumb hick.

What gives?

When I brought this up, asking if she thought her line of defense about Obama applied to McCain, she remained silent and then pulled the good ol', "It's different."

Ah, yes, yes.

"Different."

Joe Biden recently explained how FDR went on TV in 1929 to talk to the American people about the "the princes of greed." If you don't know where the historical mistakes are in this statement, get off my blog.

To me, all these gaffes are just that: gaffes. I'm sure - in fact, I'm willing to bet -that many smart people get caught with their pants down all the time.

We spend a whole lot of damn time arguing the small stuff.

These are just my observations of how perceptions work. Funny, huh?

Now.

Will anyone stand up and truly, critically assess the candidates? Will anyone really look hard, for example, at Obama, and look beyond the speeches of rhetoric?