Buying an Election
In what is shaping up to be the first billion dollar presidential campaign, Obama has outspent McCain almost 2 to 1 overall. McCain has outspent Obama in Minnesota and Iowa.
Obama has outspent McCain 3 to 1 in Pennsylvania. Obama has outspent McCain 3 to 1 in Virginia. Obama has outspent McCain 3 to 1 in Florida. Obama has outspent McCain more than 8 to 1 in North Carolina. Obama has outspent McCain almost 9 to 1 in Indiana. Obama has only slightly outspent McCain in Ohio on TV spots, Obama's being largely positive to McCains being almost entirely negative.
Selling a candidate is like selling a can of beans. A can of beans is a can of beans. We all know the famous Bush dog who plots against his loyal master to reveal the "secret recipe". This piques our interest and while our first and only can of Bush beans might result in us spitting out the first mouthful, we have purchased a can. The first purchase is always done through advertising and salesmanship. Subsequent purchases require the product to be worth a crap. More and better advertising can lead us to purchase one product over another once.
The thing is, our choosing a president is something we only do once and then we have to put up with the goombah for four years. And we have to swallow - repeatedly.
Obama and Palin are clearly the exciting personalities of this race. Similarly, do you purchase Joe Camel, the Marlboro Man, the Virginia Slims chick, the White Owl chick (I'm really dating myself now...), or do you just roll up some dried weeds, stick 'em in your mouth, set 'em on fire and suck ?
Ultimately, they all make you gag.
My recommendation ?
Choose none of the above.