Lies Of Palin: We HAVE Seen This Before

Peggy likens the Palin saga to a Jacobean tragedy, filled with lies, deception, and metaphorical bloodshed. And to be sure, the last few weeks certainly have been filled with lies and deception. The reversal that Peggy speaks about, the personal above the public, has been very real. Her family has been paraded in front of us as evidence of her personal virtue all while the McCain campaign struggles to keep out any talk about her public virtues, or lack thereof. Their belief is that the personal IS the public, and that's all the voter needs to know. This race is not about the issues.

But Peggy is being too kind. The most famous author of Jacobean tragedies is, of course, Shakespeare. He is well spoken, fluid, and coherent. His works are considered masterpieces. The characters involved often create or redefine their own archetype. You cannot say any of these things about the McCain campaign.

Rather, I would liken the campaign to a Benny Hill farce. The pick of Sarah Palin is just one example. It seems as though McCain picked her on a whim, with very little vetting. And for the last month, McCain and his senior staff have been chasing after Palin, "Yakety Sax" blaring in the background, trying to cover up her lies and misleading statements, with the occasional stop motion to allow a McCain aide to call the media sexist. When Palin finally did speak, it was clear that she did not know what current US foreign policy was or what John McCain's stance was. Cue "Yakety Sax" and Palin chasing the McCain campaign.

I don't blame Peggy for wanting to compare McCain's campaign to Shakespeare, or any sort of great literature. But the sad truth for McCain is that the campaign isn't mature enough to be considered a Jacobean Tragedy. No, that designation should be left for all time greats such as Richard Nixon. Farcical is the only word to describe what the McCain campaign has become.