*Politics* "It's a treat to beat your feet on the Mississippi mud..."
Perhaps it's just my own perception of it, but I think that this election cycle has some of the worst mudslinging that I can remember (and I can remember elections going back to Ford - Carter in 1976!).
How bad is it? Well, I actually feel bad for Rand Paul and Christine O'Donnell.
Look, I may think that they endorse BAD POLICIES, but that doesn't mean that I think they're BAD PEOPLE. Heck, O'Donnell, based on her old appearances on Bill Maher, looks like she'd be kinda fun to hang out with, and Rand Paul, while I disagree (strongly) with him about most matters political and economic, seems like he's a pretty upright, stand-up guy (well, for a politician, anyway). They're Republicans, not demons. And, yes, I've said before that there are some GOP policies that I specifically consider BAD. That doesn't mean that the members and candidates of the GOP are evil. They deserve just as much basic respect as any other human being does, right?
What they DON'T deserve is to have their personal religious beliefs called into question, or even worse, being called a whore.
First was Democrat Jack Conway running a commercial saying that his opponent Rand Paul, a Baptist, "called the Holy Bible a hoax" and "was banned (from Baylor University) for mocking Christianity and Christ." It then goes on to ask, "Why did Rand Paul once tie a woman up, and tell her to bow down before a false idol and say his God was Aqua Buddha?" As FactCheck.org shows, this stemmed from a college hazing prank that Paul participated in, not some Satanic cult where he's worshiping Baphomet or something. No matter WHAT a person's faith, whether they're Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Neopagan, or WHATEVER, having their religion called into question like that is insulting, and also not relevant to the election. (I mean, how would you feel if someone asked you what faith you were, and when you told them, they publicly called you out as a liar!?)
Worse, however, was Gawker.com's publishing an (unsubstantiated) article from some (anonymous) guy from Philly who claims that, three years ago, he had a one-night stand with O'Donnell after an evening of Halloween partying. Besides reading like a really BAD "Letter to Penthouse", it's insulting, misogynistic, and displays a real disrespect for women in general, not just O'Donnell in particular. Now, did she actually play cougar and have a one-night romp with a 25-year-old? WHO CARES? It isn't relevant! Moreover, it exposes her to the charge of "SLUT", something that a male candidate doesn't have to worry about (just ask Senator Scott Brown). And, frankly, IMNSHO... if the story IS true (and that's REALLY dubious), then BULLY FOR HER that, in her late thirties, she's still able to get out and party, and knock boots with a young buck! You GO, girl! But the worst part is that this story isn't going to change anyone's mind about voting or not voting for her... it's designed to do nothing more than insult her and drag her through the mud. Now, I don't agree with her policy stances, and I wouldn't vote her her were I living in Delaware, but I also don't think she deserves to be called a slut or whore, either.
I will not be surprised if, before next Tuesday's Election Day, we see a commercial accusing a candidate of eating babies and drinking virgin blood during unholy ceremonies to summon the foul spawn of Yog-Shuggoth or something...