It's unfortunate that this election (and U.S. politics in general IMO) is reduced to nothing more than a popularity contest featuring strident and sensational partisan rhetoric from both sides; rhetoric that is almost totally devoid of any substantiated, reasoned argument (classical definition).
On both sides the so-called "facts" and conclusions are so rife with fallacy (untruths, incomplete accounts, errors in reasoning) as to be useless to anybody interested in an objective discussion about them.
If you believe (as I do) that in order for a democracy to flourish you must have a populace skilled in the classical form of "argument" and supported by an objective, unfettered and unaligned media skilled at discerning and reporting unbiased fact, then you must be terribly frustrated - because it seems clear to me that neither exist.
I am particularly distressed at the state of the media, again making no distinctions at to which side they support; the lines between reporting, commentary, editorial and opinion are so blurred as to make the product meaningless. Instead of performing their role as political watchdog, they have become instead instigators and accomplices to one political agenda or the other. And therefore, IMO, quoting or referencing partisan journalists as a means to support or legitamize your argument should carry no weight.
The accumulated mass of unsubstantiated, unreasoned and fallacious arguments on both sides is absolutely daunting.
It seems all partison efforts on both sides of the fence are directed at making the so-called "facts" fit their pre-existing set of beliefs - and it's no wonder that those who are undecided have very little real objective information to help them make an informed decision. Being harsh perhaps, but neither side is credible; and from that you might deduce that regardless of who wins, the American public loses.
And so for me it is totally understandable why the two sides represented so passionately here by JaTo and Rex Barnes will not likely ever come close to a consensus.
The respective characterizations of both Bush and Kerry by the opposing side is nothing more IMO than a symptom of the degeneration of the American political process and a failing of the media as watchdog ... they are not IMO a thoughtful, reasoned analysis of the candidate, his policies or his beliefs. And that's a damned shame.
