Seriously - the amount of time and attention on this issue is just ridiculous. My beef is that the attention on this issue is out of proportion to the mainstream's media actual attention to candidate's position on policy, and how those policies will affect our nation. We are literally at a point where we are discussing not just the decline of our great country, but how rapidly that decline will take place, yet breathless gossipping continually trumps serious policy discourse.
This broadcasting-the-horse-race mentality is keeping us from looking at the REAL issues facing our country. Trying to figure out what happened some night ten years ago when Cain drank too much and possibly propositioned a female staffer pales in comparison to what Cain thinks about tackling jobs, global warming, nuclear non-proliferation, taxes, education. Yet all of these crucial issues are paved over by sensational tabloid-like headlines. I felt the same way about Bill Clinton when he was in office. Who CARES about his sexual activities? I care much more about policy position.
This is indicative of a much larger problem: that every nuance of the Republican primary process is covered by the media - and by us - as if it really matters. Perry is up to 8%! Cain is at 22%! He allegedly harassed two women and he's STILL up! What's this country coming to? I mean come on - this isn't really all that important.
I am the LAST person who would defend Herman Cain. I find his policy positions and personal bluster-over-substance style odious. And there should be a full accounting on exactly what happened with these women who worked with him and whatever he did. However if this is what it appears to be on the surface which is that he acted inappropriately and there was a settlement - well, it won't change much what I would think about Herman Cain.
I am much more concerned about the policy direction Herman Cain would set for this country and how it would affect the lives of millions of people in our country and around the world - and that's what our media and ourselves should be focused on. It is there we can draw the sharpest distinctions between the benefits of a progressive policy agenda, and Cain's hard right agenda that will only accelerate our great country into further decline.
