The Issues, No. 20 - Is "It's Just Politics" OK?

I know it's just politics, but I don't think I believe that Hillary Clinton, despite what she said in her convention speech last night, is a big fan of Barack Obama. What she has done is not unusual in politics but it somehow doesn't seem right that she viciously attacked and trashed Obama in the primaries, even on a personal level, and now, all of a sudden, she's a big supporter.

I think this kind of behavior is bad for a number of reasons but primarily for the example it sets. It says that it's OK for the people who are running against each other to become elected as the President of the United States, to say really bad and hurtful things about each other. It says also that it's OK to be mean and to try and dig up as much dirt as possible about your opponent to make him/her look bad. And it says that it's even OK to stretch the truth a little if it will make your opponent look even worse. And then finally when it's all over with, it says it's OK to say you didn't really mean all of those nasty things you said and that you only said them because that is what political opponents do. In other words, "It's Just Politics" and so it's OK.

And so now our kids and grandkids are asking questions like "If it's OK for people who are running for President of the United States to say mean and nasty things about people and to stab them in the back when it might be to their advantage, is it OK for me to do it too?" On the other hand they also might be asking questions like "How am I supposed to have any respect for the President when he/she acts like that?" and maybe even, "Why should I get interested in politics and who represents me in Washington when they all act like that?"

I think people who are running for political office need to be more aware of what they are running for, who is watching them, and the example they are setting. I want to have a President and members of Congress who I respect and, for me to vote for them, they need to earn my respect. I can't respect anyone who acts the way I have described above and "It's Just Politics" is not OK with me.