The Designer Duds Debate

With the outrageous and pettiness of the past election process, nothing was more inane than the amount of coverage and poltical back-biting of the Sarah Palin "designer dud" debates. If prizes were to be given for the most speculative and ludicrous coverage, I think this exercise in trash journalism takes the cake. I also believe that more and more the old addage "there's a sucker born every minute," makes P.T. Barnum probably the greatest sage of the modern era.

Does the American people really believe that the majority of Ms. Palin's duds were actually purchased by the Republican National Committee? Or could it be that there just may be some designers out there who were looking for some free publicity and exposure of their products, and either gave the RNC a discount, or donated them for Ms. Palin's benefit for the election process? Honestly, do you think with the notice Ms. Palin was given insofar as her selection as the Vice Presidential running mate, she had the time to run out to the nearest mall and pick up some 50-100 outfits she would need for the next two months, or had a personal wardrobe that was extensive enough for all those public appearances? Or even had the time to pack them if she had?

It has been interesting that so much attention was paid to Michelle Obama's Target purchases, and J Crew Outfits. Yet at the final crowning moment, even Ms. Obama was outfitted by a desiger. Mr. Obama's suits hardly appeared to be Brooks Brothers off the rack, yet much was made of John McCain's Ferragam loafers (which looked rather well worn, if truth be told).

What is it about the American public and media that such ridiculous triviality has an bearing or impact on the selection of a presidential candidate? Granted, it is quite hard to identify with average Joe Citizen, while being ployed with designer dresses, or holding court in designer loafers with six figure incomes, and health and pension benefits that far exceed now 3/4s of the people in the private sector. (I am not speaking of the Joe the Plumbers, whose question of Obama seemed rather staged, but who also quite obviously seemed pretty out of touch with Mr. McCain's stances on illegal immigration, a stance that has resulted in many Arizona Joes in the construction and home remodel and repair industries losing their actual livelihoods, much less "socialized" their nonexistant income).

These trivialities were great distractions, but the fact that many in the public swallowed some of these ratings grabbers hook, line and sinker is what has amazed me and quite a few other Americans, it would appear, if those hard nosed investigative reporters on some of the bloggs are any indication, the ones who ask the obvious questions.

Sleep tight, America. While we have massive amounts of information now on Sarah Palin's wardrobe, Barack Obama's past philanthropic associates, and renewed retellings of John McCain's service record, we certainly didn't get much in the way of either truth in reporting, or information with respect to whether either gentleman truly understood the duties, and more importantly limits, of the office for which he was seeking. Or whether they even knew how to read the Constitution, the actual document upon which either one of them was to be sworn to uphold. It was pretty clear in some of their positions while campaigning and voting records as senators that their basic understandings of the limits and duties of their powers under our Constitution needed work while members of the legislative branch.

One can only hope and pray for either divine intervention and a spiritual reawakening at this point, or that Senator Obama will take a reading comprehension course prior to January 20th, something it is quite obvious that his predecessor clearly failed to do.