Elections ...

Looking from the other side of the ocean it is difficult to suppress a smile every now and then when observing the Presidential campaigns of both Bush and Kerry. They seem to focus on very few things to get the most attention from voters and potential voters. They cannot say anything to radical or outspoken because they need votes from another group as well. But the race being so tight means that they are even more careful. They both need the same group of voters so they can not step too far apart from that group nor the other candidates opinion.

Also the pathetic mud slinging at each other almost makes one smiles. I think the Republican convention was an ethical low in that sense. Trying to break down the other candidate by looking in a very detailed and out of context analysis of voting in the past seems to me as ridiculous. As if someone can not for some reason vote for a proposal and later against another one that seems to have some superficial link.

But this only almost makes me smile. Because for some reason this country has so much influence on the lives of so many people and countries outside of North America. And then to realise that the Greatest Democracy in the World is being governed by the person with the most money in their campaign, the most efficient PR machine and not by default the Best man for the job, should be more than enough to start worry any person who likes democracy.