Democrats, Can You Please Get Back to the Real Issues?

We've heard and discussed all the controversial statements, shaky situations, questionable associations and more of the current Democrats running for the Presidency. We've heard them jump on each other's missteps, volley accusations back and forth and generally go into a high attack mode.

The media has been more than happy to compound the problem by addressing and re-addressing every misplaced remark, every notorious relationship, etc., blowing them way out of proportion and lingering over them much too long.

If you watched the shameful mockery that was ABC's Presidential debate between candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama on April 16th, you may have concluded that the personal foibles of these two individuals were far more important than how they stand on the issues.

Moderators Charles Gibson and George Stephanopoulos wasted valuable time asking questions about controversies involving Clinton and Obama's past statements and it seemed especially obvious that they were loaded for bear, as far as Obama was concerned.

Does anybody really believe that the boyish Stephanopoulos can really be objective? He worked on Bill Clinton's staff during his 1992 Presidential run and was rewarded by being chosen to be Clinton's communications director during his first four years in office. Unlike Bill Richardson, Stephanopoulos is much more loyal to the Clintons, which explains the unbalance in the way he questioned the two opponents.

All that aside, though, these two candidates have been asked questions several times before on what they said, what their friends and/or associates said, etc. Those ships have long since sailed and it's time for the preoccupation with them to stop, on the part of the media.

Did both Clinton and Obama say some things that were less than inspiring or truthful on occasion? Did they or do they have friendships with people we may not particularly agree with?

Certainly, but let's get a reality check, shall we?

We have had Presidents in office who have lied, cheated on their wives, kept bad company both in and out of office and the like, but none of it had anything to do with their ability to run the country. If we are waiting for somebody to run for office who is perfect and has no past record of controversy, we may be waiting a long time.

If being pure-as-the-driven-snow was all it took to be a good President, then Jimmy Carter would have been one of our greatest leaders and he was, in fact, one the weakest Presidents we have ever had. If being associated with disreputable people was supposed to destroy a politician, then how do you explain West Virginia senator Robert Byrd being in Congress since 1952, even though he was, at one time, an active member of the KKK?

I don't know about you, but I am tired of all these needless distractions. I want to hear from both Democratic candidates what their stands are on the issues that concern this country. What exactly are they going to do about the troops in Iraq? How do they plan to help turn around our economy? How will they work to lower these escalating gas prices? What solutions do they have to the housing market debacle?

I don't want to hear Fox News or CNN or MSNBC droning on about what really boils down to insignificant things anymore, nor do I want to keep hearing Clinton and Obama constantly
assaulting each other verbally.

After talking with several people I know lately, I know that I am not alone in my views. Some of them have expressed the possibility that they may consider going over to McCain and the Republicans, simply because they are so frustrated.

I do believe that the Democrats have something relevant to say.

The problem is that they are so busy dealing with the stuff that doesn't matter that they neglect to say it.

By: Ezriela Devereux
Published: 04/19/08