By the time you read this it may be history, but at the moment of this writing the election has us all in anticipation (or bored stiff?), awaiting the outcome.
In reflection, about the biggest surprise was not Al Gore’s selection of Joe Lieberman as running mate, but the remarkable popularity of the Senator. Pundits, professional and otherwise, are saying routinely that he’s the most attractive of the four major candidates. Will it be sufficient to drag the Gore ticket over the finish line first?
The rule of thumb is that the best a presidential candidate can hope for is to choose a running mate who will not burden the ticket; and there are a number of illustrations in the past 50 years where the choice has turned out to be problematic. (Remember Nixon’s Checkers’ speech in 1952!) But we might have to go back to the 1896 election of William McKinley and Teddy Roosevelt to find a veep candidate who has actually buoyed the ticket as Joe Lieberman has.
The debates seemed not to provide either candidate with the knock-out punch that he hoped for; and while they may have been a bit more dry, tedious, and repetitive than they could have been, it has to be a good thing for the electorate to be able to see the candidates up close (in their dark blue suits, white shirts, and red ties – – kudos to Dick Cheney for daring to depart). Opportunities to stir the pot were obviously missed, but the candidates’ advisors are much more interested in not offending anyone rather than taking an unexpected or fresh – – albeit risky – – position. They seem to be more than happy to settle for a tie. Twiddle-de-dee, twiddle-de-dum!
Bland rules.
– Ken Buter