Staying Objective
-This is a hard election.

And it seems to be getting harder.

That is for a critic who tends to like the entire democratic line-up.

Including those who’ve dropped out.

I still don’t know why Biden, Dodd and Richardson and Kucinich were so quickly considered the second tier and had their race over before ½ of 1% had cast their vote…..

I guess Obama because of his previous Convention Speech, Edward’s former candidacy and Hillary’s star power.

Wasn’t Edwards partially formed during the last election that he entered. He seemed like a naïve waif eager to please everyone; instead, he pleased no one; now he has gone in the opposite direction and no one believes that he can do the job or that the job is necessary.

We are all now in the healing mode. Come together. Be friends. Become collegial again. Don’t fight. We’ve had enough of fighting.

And what is the likelihood of that happening?

Almost immediately, it started to feel like one of those Celebrity Guest lists that seem to draw the attention of the freelancers taking photos for big commissions—especially if you could find someone in disarray or beating their wives.

In this case, the second tier in my opinion was as bright or maybe even brighter in some respects as the first-- especially when they so glibly talk about experience.

Well, Biden, Richardson and Dodd had more experience than anyone of the current front runners; in fact, next to the second tier, they are all ingénues….

But it was an unfair ranking and it still troubles me.

Dodd with his old fashioned democratic stands that reminds me of the Tip ONeal school or Richardson with his “been there and done that” speeches as one of the first Latin American candidates with solid credentials and old Joe Biden, who could waltz rings around everyone. And what about Dennis who stands tall for his stands and humbly stands by each debate while the moderator ignores him. It’s been figured that he normally gets 25% of the attention of the other “super stars.” Despite that, he wins most of the debates!

I especially like Joe but I didn’t do anything to help him this time.

And I regret that!

I didn’t like the stupid thing he said about Obama in the beginning but that is typical Joe with his Italian Irish sense of humor.

Joe asked me to go to Philadelphia to the debate to stand in his corner. I didn’t. And I feel somewhat guilty about that, too..

I did help his son become Attorney General when he ran in the state two years ago.

And I would do so again!

And when Joe returns, I’d willingly stand in his corner.

I am from the old school, the Tip ONeal school where there’s old fashioned dignity and respect for one another and you go into politics to serve; not to make a profit or lock up the rest of your life and you don’t throw unwarranted barbs around, and everyone’s a good guy until proven otherwise.

Even in the old days, there was dignity among the moderate republicans.

Dirksen talked to ONeal. And Lehman or Rockefeller took positions that today would perhaps seem far too liberal.

The whole idea of collegiality seemed to fall apart after the Watergate Hearings and the dirty tricksters of Dick Nixon.

His first choice for Press Secretary was his lead speech writer, an old school chum who actually quit the Nixon White House after meeting the Inner Circle and Spiro Agnew.
He retired and wrote a book on his experience called, Catch a Falling Flag.

Dick Whelan was a fair-minded, blue collar, straight arrow republican; no Nixon nonsense for him.

This loss of collegiality was why so many good politicians like the former New Jersey Senator, Bradley, left Congress and others decided not to run again.

It was a totally different ball game then.

My own life has gone pretty much full circle. I practically grew up in the home of a prominent republican politician and then gravitated from a very conservative WASP-like household to the Max Lerner, Murray Kempton schools of liberalism, eventually supported the Rainbow Coalition and then got on the bandwagon for Gore—about a 360 degree traverse.

And I didn’t even see anger until the Rainbow Coalition.

It’s been a long and awarding trip.

But now I am in the dubious position of loving the candidates so pardon me if my eyes seem to well up an indication that I have to end this soon—before a Hardball snoop catches on.

One thing’s for sure: I will always be in business considering the full slate of Troglodyte brain challenged candidates from the right; and thank heaven for that….

Les Aaron\
The Committee for Positive Growth…