Perspectives: The bloodbath of politics; need there be casualties on Nov. 7?

OPINION- Voting day must be near because emotions are heating up and everyone is vying for their candidate to win. The attacks are getting more severe; the fight more bloodthirsty.

Not just between the candidates, but between us, the citizens.

The recent first presidential debate was a beautiful thing.

It has appeared as though the media has favored President Obama, hardly reporting on his gaffes, but opining between the lines that he is the great orator of our time; an assertion that I am still trying to substantiate.

It was not an “off-night,” or the altitude, as Al Gore explained; it was President Obama without a script.

Governor Romney outperformed President Obama on every level. He was fantastic. There were no teleprompters and no applause from the crowd yet Romney emerged as a capable, formidable leader in every true sense of the word. President Obama could not deliver and could not defend his miserable four-year record. And, he knew it.

Even Obama’s strongest supporters admitted that he looked weak, bored and contemptuous.

I expected Obama, through his embarrassment, to go on a vicious attack afterwards and he did not disappoint. Obama had to go for the jugular after showing his obvious signs of weakness in the debate. Obama swiftly and blatantly referred to Romney as a liar. It was reminiscent of a spoiled child not getting his way after a schoolyard quarrel.

Romney, for the first time, is leading in the polls. Obama thought he had this in the bag and realized, maybe shockingly so, that people need more than swagger, eye candy and promises of never ending funds to maintain their support and get their vote.

We have gravely overestimated Obama’s capability as president and greatly underestimated Romney’s likability and experience as a leader.

Thank goodness for a great debate to level the playing field. Now, we have a real “game”. There is no clear-cut winner now, only a true contender and race for the presidency.

Is the threat that Romney just may win this election ramping up the vitriol and disdain between us?  Social media, emails campaigns and dinner-conversation attacks are accelerating and getting more personal. Messages of hate on Twitter are finding their way to those who convey their support for a candidate. Articles engaging in bitter contempt toward specific candidates are cropping up in newspapers across the country.

Let the candidates duke it out but we should be able to maintain our civility.  Yes, we can certainly engage in eye rolling, heavy sighing and the temptation of wanting to punch the talking heads of media in the mouth; we are, after all, only human. Yet, we can only cast one vote – our vote; and we can do so without engaging in battle ourselves.

Your favorability towards a certain candidate does not declare you incapable of thought or a sheep that blindly votes without cause. I may not understand a vote for the “other” candidate, but I certainly feel no ill will towards the one who casts it. Why do we feel it such a responsibility to influence those around us to vote as we vote? Must we feel that we are the only smart one in the room with a mission to save the rest? We are only accountable for our singular vote. All we can hope for is that as we cast our vote, it will mean that we have done our homework and that we have chosen the candidate who can lead the country.

There will be a November 7 – the day after the election; and we do not need civilian casualties among us in the aftermath of the war of words that we are engaging in.

This isn’t personal; it’s business – the business of our country.

 

Kate Dalley is a news commentator and co-host of the Perspectives morning show on Fox News 1450 AM 93.1 FM. The opinions stated in this article are hers and not representative of St. George News.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2012, all rights reserved.

 

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24 Comments

  • Jen October 10, 2012 at 8:01 am

    Would not expect any less of a bias from those of you at STG news. If Obama was Mormon, you’d be backing him till his dying day. Open your mind and stop treating this election like its the second coming of Christ.

    • Daniel October 11, 2012 at 7:20 am

      Harry Reid is Mormon and he doesn’t get any support from STG News. Open your eyes, it’s the policies of the politician that they don’t like.

  • Ron October 10, 2012 at 8:38 am

    Wow! For an article talking about civility, this does little to promote it!

  • Brett October 10, 2012 at 10:31 am

    Really Jen!?

    Ever heard of Godwin’s Law? It’s sort of a humorous (yet entirely true) theory defined as…

    “As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches…”

    I think I’m going to define a new one just for Utah: Brett’s Law. Which is defined as…

    “As an online discussion grows longer, in Utah, the probability of a disparaging accusation or remark concerning the Mormon religion approaches…”

    I know plenty of Conservative Mormons who would not vote for Mormon Democrat Senator Harry Reid if their life depended on it. How about keeping your useless bigoted remarks off the site until you find something of actual value to post.

    As for STG News being biased, do you actually read the opinion posts here??? There are at least 3 denouncing Romney. This is the first one that actually supports him.

    • DoubleTap October 10, 2012 at 11:41 am

      Brett, very well stated. Thumbs up to you , sir.

    • Murat October 10, 2012 at 12:04 pm

      I am generally intolerant of the corrupt LDS church and encourage Mormons to denounce the organization.

      • Brett October 10, 2012 at 12:15 pm

        Really Murat? I hadn’t noticed. You never cease to … umm … NOT surprise me.

        • Murat October 10, 2012 at 12:25 pm

          I have to continually let it be known, not for your sake, Brett, but for the readers’.

          • Brett October 10, 2012 at 12:29 pm

            Oh THANK YOU Murat!!!

            Your bigoted troll-ish brand of intolerance is such a valued community service. Thank You! Thank You!

          • Murat October 10, 2012 at 12:39 pm

            I see what you are trying to do here. I am simply crusading for what is right. The LDS Church, at its core, at its top level of leadership and behind the scenes, is corrupt and evil. I hope that as time goes on people will come to see that.

          • Brett October 10, 2012 at 12:54 pm

            Yes Murat,

            Because you’re on the inside and know. Just because you read it on the Internet doesn’t mean it’s true.

            Do you know how futile and offensive your bigotry is to Mormons? Doesn’t matter, we’ve been used to the likes of people like you for years and years now. At least you’re not raping, murdering, and burning down our houses anymore.

            We can put up with a little bigoted trolling. No problem. It’s just too bad I don’t have a mute “Murat” button so I don’t have to read your hate.

          • Murat October 10, 2012 at 1:05 pm

            Sometimes the truth hurts, Brett. I myself share your contempt, although not for the likes of me, but for Mormons in general, who like you display an elitism that is really unjustifiable in light of how ridiculous their core beliefs really are. Nevertheless, you are entitled to kooky beliefs held in place by corrupt leadership, because this is America, and let’s be grateful for that. By the way, you seem to have an anger problem that could jeopardize your health, which is already compromised by your overly sedentary lifestyle.

          • Dghws October 10, 2012 at 11:23 pm

            No thank you. This reader is sick and tired of your posts. I think I caught you only once posting something positive about anything reported on here. For that, I’m grateful! However, I think you have hacked out more postings (and all but one negative) than any other person on this site. Just because you have a lot of anger and negativity to say does not mean you have much, if anything, to support or defend any of your statements on any subject. In this case you may not like Mormons or those serve in the Church but that only proves that you don’t like them. You also don’t like any laws or rules, especially ones you might be expected to abide by. Based on these few points and the extreme positions and statements you make, it is hard for anyone to take you seriously. I too wish I could “hide” your posts. I could then quit writing rebuttals and again just enjoy reading the differing views in the comments section. Your version of hate and slop just isn’t any fun any more.

  • Brett October 10, 2012 at 1:56 pm

    Actually Murat,

    The truth is wonderful (the real one.)

    Let’s just agree to disagree here. I have already wasted far too much of my time. Your constant spew of vitrol is proof to whom needs to seek anger management counseling.

    I am an Information worker. Which keeps me close to an computer. Seeing that you are equally tied to the computer is the height of hypocrisy, but that pretty much sums up your character.

    • Murat October 10, 2012 at 2:05 pm

      You are the ultimate hyprocrite, Barrett, and a deplorable representative of the public ideals your church seeks to uphold. No matter, I know what the organization is really about, and you have been duped.

      • Dghws October 10, 2012 at 11:30 pm

        Murat, please please go run more than your mouth and fingers. Go run a shovel and help fill sand bags. Go run a maul and split some wood to help the needy and elderly have some heat for the winter. Go run a needle and thread and make some quilts for needy children. Go run a stove at a soup kitchen to help the homeless. Go run a table to help people register to vote. Go volunteer as a Pink Guy at the hospital. Go join one of the service clubs (like the Elks, Rotary, etc.). Go volunteer at the police station washing cars…Oh, wait, you don’t believe in helping others. There is a difference between being the diamond in the rough and being just rough.

  • Desert Dweller October 10, 2012 at 3:44 pm

    Hey Murat,

    The Brett you have been bantering with is not the Brett you think he is….I know Barrett ….and as it would turn out I know that “other” Brett in your comment-fest. Just FYI.

    Let your ranting and raving continue.

  • Brett October 10, 2012 at 4:28 pm

    Haha!

    Nice try Murat! Wow, I didn’t think so much hate could be wrapped up in such a small package. I guess if you actually know “Barrett” you’ve not only insulted that person’s religion (which is meaningless to you obviously) you’ve also called him or her sedentary (or fat.) Why don’t you give us a clue who you really are? Would we be shocked?

    • Murat October 10, 2012 at 5:32 pm

      My name is Murat Meidani. I have family wealth from business in Algeria and I am involved in various things.

      • The Magic 8-ball October 10, 2012 at 6:24 pm

        What Murat is not telling you is that the family business involves sending spam email out to the unsuspecting persons who are told they have just won a large sum of money, yet need to send a small sum to Algeria in return in order to complete the transaction.

        He also runs an underground cockfighting network on the side (that’s rooster-fighting for the ignorant among us).

        • Murat October 10, 2012 at 7:47 pm

          You are indeed an ignoramus, 8-ball, but oddly enough you’ve got the right idea on your first point. One of the family’s businesses is spam networks, which can be surprisingly lucrative, but we don’t deal with Nigerian scams, which are blatantly illegal, not to mention crude and inefficient. As for cockfighting, you are simply wrong. That is an activity for peasants in which we do not participate.

        • Murat October 10, 2012 at 8:05 pm

          You are indeed an ignoramus, 8-ball, but oddly enough you’ve got the right idea on the first point. One of the family’s major business holdings is a series of so-called spam networks, which have been surprisingly lucrative. Of course, we don’t deal with Nigerian scams, which are blatantly illegal (not to mention crude and inefficient), but we do find plenty of legitimate content with which we’ve built up respectable cash flows. As to your allegation that I run a cockfighting ring, well, you are simply wrong. That is an activity for peasants in which I do not care to participate.

      • Brett October 11, 2012 at 11:43 am

        Actually,

        I don’t think you’re who you say you are. The only references to your full-name are on this website! According to what I can investigate about you, I have a little evidence that your are in fact a local woman and authoress. Since I’ll never truly know. It’s been a fun exercise at least. 🙂

  • The Magic 8-ball October 10, 2012 at 6:38 pm

    “Must we feel that we are the only smart one in the room with a mission to save the rest?”

    No, but that is like asking the majority of internet users to cast off their veils of anonymity. People who are sure in their political views are much like those who are sure in their religious beliefs. A profession of faith often comes with some accompanying promise to share the truth, whatever that truth may be, with the masses. Adherents become quite passionate in “spreading the word” and defending their faith. Why? Because they see it as the only truth out there. Politics is much the same. It is how they perceive the world and feel that is how others should see it as well.

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