Week Eight

This past week was the Texas Primary (or is it “were the Texas Primaries”?) so I think that’s an appropriate subject to write about. I did not vote because I don’t feel like I have know enough on all of the candidates to make the most educated, well-rounded vote. However, I plan on being confident in my vote for President come Nov., whether that will be picking a candidate I am confident in or choosing between what I feel is the lesser of two evils.

Politics really interest me. I’d like to learn more about the psychology of it all; what makes people be left- or right-winged, outside influences, strategies for politicians, what goes on under the table, etc. and I know that public affairs people are right in the middle of all of that. I hate the stereotype politicians have; I think it’s pathetic that things are like that in the States. Those people make decisions that dictate our safety and future as a country, and I know I have heard in class that the government is one of the least trusted industries in the nation. That just doesn’t make much sense to me. Where did that distrust stem from, anyway?

This morning, I was talking to one of my friends about Obama, and she was saying that she didn’t fully trust him because he reads the Koran and attended a Muslim public school for a couple of years. One of my other friends had overheard us talking about it and printed off an article (from what I consider an unreliable source mind you… It was from an urban legends Web site) acknowledging the claims and telling the “truth” of it all. Apparently there were also rumors of him not putting his hand over his heart while the National Anthem was playing at some function he was at and that he was a radical Muslim.

Despite what is the truth, I just thought of how his campaign team had to “right the wrongs” of the rumors flying. I thought of the research they had to do and the ways they had to present the facts of Obama without stepping on any Muslim organization’s toes. And I thought about how quickly they had to present and distribute all of this information.

I imagine if rumors leaked out and they were completely false, I would enjoy having a job where I was supposed to set the records straight and be the one who said, “No, you‘re wrong, and this is why…” and sound really smart after those ellipse

Anyway, if we get class time, I’d like to talk about the presidential elections. I’d like to see what everyone thinks. Last Tuesday in Wells’ nonprofit class, a few students pitched the person they were voting for and why, and I really enjoyed hearing everyone’s differing opinions. I liked the tension.