One thing that I increasingly believe about elections in this country is that they're all about the "hot button" issues — bank bailouts, health care, gay marriage, etc. — and nothing else. If you ask the average voter, "Do you think the moral integrity of the candidate is important?," they invariably say yes. If you ask them, "Do you think it's important that a candidate be competent and knowledgeable?", they all answer in the affirmative. Absolutely, positively yes. Those two qualities are vital, they'll say.
And then, when it comes time to pick the candidate they'll vote for, they pick whoever says the "right" things about gun control, immigration and the death penalty — and that's about it. The other stuff either gets ignored or assumed…
They ignore the fact that the candidate might not know how to do the job or accomplish the goals. They assume that because he or she says the right things, he or she must be smart enough to make things happen.
They ignore the fact that the candidate might be lacking in honesty and integrity. They assume that because he or she says the right things, he or she must be a pillar of virtue, at least compared to the moral degenerates who have different views.
Maybe this dawned on you a long time ago. But the other day on CNN, I saw someone going on and on about the genius and high ethics of the candidate they're voting for…and all I could think was, "You don't really believe that about him. You just think a vote for him is a vote against Obama."