Standing in line at my voting precinct on primary day, I heard comments from two people in front of me. "I don't know if this is where we are supposed to vote," the man said. 'I haven't voted in a long time." And the lady with him commented, "We just want to vote against Trump and Hillary Clinton." Told that they would have to choose either a Republican or Democratic ballot, they were unhappy and didn't understand why they couldn't vote in both primaries.
They engaged in a lengthy dialogue with the voting clerk, who politely continued to inform them that they would have to choose one of the two primary ballots to indicate which candidates they supported. "I'm not for any of them," the man grumbled.
Finally, one took a Democratic ballot and the other a Republican. After I voted and was leaving I observed that each of them were still in the voting booths.
I chalked up this little episode as just one more example of the craziness and the heated atmosphere surrounding the current political campaigns. The air is filled with misinformation. We have been exposed to a slew of slurs.
Donald Trump is at the center of much of this and the media have been a conduit for the war of words, no matter how trivial or juvenile. The TV cameras can't seem to turn their focus away from this buffoonery, the rude and raucous personal attacks and crude put downs. Meanwhile, as a master of the entertainment medium, Trump captures massive attention while swinging from one topic to another and skillfully avoiding serious accountability.
"It may not be good for America," said a surprisingly frank Les Moonves, chairman of CBS, "but it is damn good for CBS." Referring to the heightened ratings and revenue for campaign coverage and political ads, he added, "The money's rolling in and his is fun" He called the campaign for president a "circus" full of "bomb throwing," and hopes it continues. "Most of the ads are not about issues. They're sort of like the debates," he said. "I've never seen anything like this," the CBS head said, "and this is going to be a very good year for us. Sorry. It's a terrible thing to say, but, bring it on, Donald. Keep going."
Trump has actually spent much less on TV advertising than have his foes. Recent figures show he ranks eighth among candidates from both parties in ads sponsored by the campaigns and advocacy groups. (Jeb Bush's now-terminated campaign ranks first.) Of course, Trump hasn't had to spend as much on ads because of all the "free" coverage he gets for his often outrageous comments as well as his front-running results.
Remember that one of Trump's first appearances on the national political scene was when he instigated the "birther" controversy aimed at Barack Obama. More recently he questioned the eligibility of Ted Cruz. He doesn't completely back away from unproven assertions, but leaves them hanging out there. An example is his perpetuating the Internet rumor about thousands of Muslims in New Jersey cheering the fall of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. (New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie refuted that, but is now a Trump supporter.) He has also given credence to the widely debunked vaccination-causes-autism claim and doubts climate change. There was a controversial exchange of comments with Pope Francis and Trump's delayed denouncing of David Duke and the Ku Klux Klan. There are the conflicting versions about the "Trump University" educational, financial and legal morass. Charges and claims flash across the horizon.
Trump threatens critics and the media. He promises to "open up our libel laws" so he could more easily sue news organizations that question or oppose him. He calls the New York Times "one of the most dishonest media outlets I've ever seen." Some of his sharpest attacks have been aimed at conservative media figures. He said, "Some of the media is among the worst people I've ever met." He continued, "I mean a pretty good percentage is really a terrible group of people. They write lies, they write false stories."
It is not unusual for politicians to exaggerate or overstate or make unrealistic promises, but Trump is creating his own version of reality. Facts are devalued in the current atmosphere. Do voters really want the truth?
Trump is not politics-as-usual and this year promises to bring more bizarre incidents in a campaign that is entertaining but appalling. Many voters believe they have been abandoned by more conventional political figures -- witness the demise of Jeb Bush.
Election day is eight months away and there will be more surprises and slurs to come. I'm wondering what those two voters I stood behind on primary day will be thinking by November.
Commentary on 03/09/2016