Attention Span And Fatigue

Our economy is on the verge of collapse. Terrorist activity in the Mideast is on the upswing. The Chinese are crushing the Tibetans. Wars, or the threat thereof, are popping up like weeds where the snow has melted.

We are in the midst of the most crucial presidential primary season in recent history. Yet I fear we are back sliding into the "politics as usual" mode. I read an article, As campaign drags on aides put lives on hold. As I read I realized the people quoted aren't concerned about noble causes but more about how the campaigns have disrupted their lives. It struck me that their commitment was to the money they could make or the rush, maybe, rather than about belief in the candidate for whom they are working.

At any other point in the history of campaigns this probably wouldn't have caught my notice. This time it does. I browsed the headlines on the Drudge Report and found these: Many voting for Clinton to boost Republicans, Obama Clinton teams exchange barbs, Former GOP Senator rips Hillary as Bush enabler and my favorite Why does Hillary wear such bad clothes...! Do I care?

Well, you know, I'm tired of it too. I'm tired of the rancor and the meanness of spirit. That can be an end result of fatigue, I grant you. Yet the candidates soldier on. We who are interested soldier on. Aides are finding that the attention span of a two year old isn't enough. This whole process is meant to be something other than their own personal lark.

I must say, however, this is the media's bread and butter. If they didn't cover the spats and the trivia with such glee perhaps there wouldn't be so much.

I don't really care that Hillary isn't a fashion maven. I care very much how she feels about Achmenijad's party retaining power in Iran and what, as commander-in-chief, she would suggest be done about the situation concerning China and Tibet. I care about how Obama feels about both also. For starters.