Ryan ChartrandThese are the things I know about vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, in the order I learned them:
1) She is John McCain’s running mate though no one had heard of her two months ago
2) She is the governor of Alaska
3) She was a beauty queen and was recently on the cover of Vogue
4) Her husband works in the oil industry
5) Her 17-year-old daughter is having a baby
6) She is socially conservative (more so than McCain)
Politicians are now given a paparazzi-high level of celebrity status; this relatively unknown woman was thrown into the spotlight and can no longer have the luxury of a private life. She’s accountable for everything she’s ever done, everyone she’s ever known and every place she’s ever gone.
Palin’s personal life is shown on more covers (four, although OK and US Weekly just used the same picture and flipped it, a no-no for any respectable publication) than her candidacy. Whether or not she meant that to happen, this campaign season has become a battle of personalities instead of issues.
Presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain both put a strong emphasis on their quality of character in speeches, books, campaign ads and social networking sites.
The media has caught on and now have a Paris Hilton or Britney Spears-level of obsession with anything and everything the candidates say. A lot of insignificant things are blown out of proportion while important things are skimmed over.
The “lipstickgate” scandal seemed to be about as serious (and as prolifically broadcasted) as the Paris vs. Nicole “OMG are they friends or enemies?! What will happen to the world?” debacle (debacle is used with sarcasm).
A lot of people are talking about the election, but more often than not, I hear people say they’ll vote for a candidate based on race, attractiveness of running mate (I’ve heard Palin called a VPILF) or endorsers.
It’s getting more ridiculous every day, and the election is just over a month away. I can’t help but think it’ll get more petty, mudsling-y and irrelevant by Nov. 4.
Every comment and wardrobe choice will be analyzed, every move watched; but the focus is wrong. People don’t seem to realize that Obama and McCain are our two options for president. Would you rather spend time hearing about their running mates’ personal drama or their voting records? It feels more like “American Idol” than a presidential election (text “Vote” to 1-800-USA-GOVT).
McCain’s age, Obama’s race, Palin’s gender, and Biden’s verbal slipups are not the central issues, but are treated as such.
We demand perfection of them; we take delight in every slip-up, every scandal – how are we supposed to find the best candidate amid all the fuss over irrelevant, trivial things?
Bill Clinton was impeached for perjury from the Monica Lewinsky scandal yet the PATRIOT Act passed and George W. Bush’s administration has had no legal repercussions. The personal stuff really does get more attention.
Giana Magnoli is a journalism senior and Mustang Daily managing editor.