With the Barack Obama campaign raising unprecedented amounts of money for his Presidential bid, it was inevitable that the charge would be made that his ad purchases would bring charges that he was trying to buy the election.
But it isn't really Senator Barack Obama that is trying to buy the Presidency at all. It is the American people. For the first time in decades (and maybe much longer) the public sees the opportunity to elect a President that hasn't already been bought by others. Others without any interest in their wellbeing at all.
Of course the fact is that the reason the GOP will begin screaming this from the rooftops soon, is that "Buying Elections" has traditionally their bailiwick. And remember that one of "Turd Blossom" Rove's most beloved tenets is to point fingers and make accusations against your opponent to try and hide the fact that this is exactly what you are guilty of. And make no mistake about this either: The GOP ain't done trying to buy this one either. Take a look at all of the voter suppression lawsuits they are filing.
So what we have here is a battle between two factions trying to purchase the Presidency. The American people who were brought up being taught that this is a democracy (it isn't - it's a republic) and that this is inherently their government! And the big money folks that feel it is their's as they bought and paid for it long ago.
Who will close their purchase?
I've been around too long to assume that the lead built up by the Obama-Biden ticket will necessarily prevail. The Supreme Court stole the election in 2000 and Karl Rove did in 2004. Again though, these were purchases more than they were electoral victories.
So as you inevitably do hear John McCain, Sarah Palin and perhaps even Joe The Plumber cry out in distress that Barack Obama has bought the election...
Just say "Nope! That was us!"
For those that haven't yet seen the Obama Infomercial: