I have a special e-mail address that I use to register on political websites where you have to register. Since I read a lot of them and over a diverse range of views, that address gets thousands of e-mails urging me to vote this way or that way or to not vote…and of course, almost every message includes a pitch to give money. A lot of them don't say much more than…
Don't you just hate and loathe [name of candidate]? Aren't you terrified that if [name of candidate] gets elected, your family will be [pick one: attacked, bankrupted, destroyed, etc.]? Well, we have the way to stop [name of candidate] and you can make it happen if you only send us money.
Stuff like that. If I were more cynical and mercenary, I think I'd just set up a batch of websites — one for every candidate out there with a disapproval rating of over 15% or so — and push the idea that I'm close to unearthing the scandal that will destroy them, once and for all…if only people will give me enough cash to complete my mission. Because of sheer competition, I don't think I'd get a huge amount of money but I bet I'd get enough to make it worth my while.
This morning, I took a peek in the mailbox of my special e-mail address. There were 12,000 messages in there, which I think is the maximum the inbox can hold. In perfect symmetry, the first five were pleas to donate to destroy Hillary Clinton, Mike Huckabee, Barack Obama, John McCain and Mitt Romney. I have a hunch the Romney Destroyers aren't going to be getting many donations after this morning.
The anti-Hillary and anti-Obama messages were from different addresses but obviously from the same author. They were both pushing John McCain with the following odd (to me) pitch…
There are seven undeniable reasons why we must elect John McCain. One is the War in Iraq and the other six are six Supreme Court justices who are over the age of 68.
I don't think the first of those reasons is going to do it for Senator McCain. Not with every single poll saying that Americans now oppose the War in Iraq by around a two-to-one consensus. They may be personally fond of the man — I am or at least was when he wasn't out pandering for the Limbaugh voters — but when it comes down to voting for four more years of Stay the Course? I don't think so.
And as for the other six reasons: If you're presuming that being over 68 means the person is likely to die in the next four years, is that a good reason to vote for a guy who's 71?