A Nasty Campaign - Or Is It?

Watching the race to the finish line in the presidential race this past few weeks, I would cringe at some of the nastiness and sarcasm of the ads and, indeed, the candidates own rhetoric. My opinion is that Senator McCain has taken nastier swipes than Senator Obama but both have gotten into the mud at times. From polls, it is clear that the American people do not like to see such personal attacks.

However, my mood was uplifted a little today when I saw the clips from the Al Smith Memorial Fundraising dinner last night. It was a white tie affair at the Waldorf-Astoria (nice place, by the way) where both candidates spoke and took a few shots at themselves. Watching John McCain laugh and applaud Obama's comments and Obama doing the same, made me have hope that we can all come together in the end and work toward restoring America's greatness. I would encourage anyone who has not seen the clips, one of each candidate, to go to CNN.com and view the videos.

It is refreshing to see, in these very tough times, that we cannot always take ourselves too seriously and point out our own foibles and those of our adversaries in a light-hearted manner.

I am sure that many other countries will be puzzled by this incredible lightness between these two seemingly hardened adversaries. But that is America. Despite differences, some as wide as the Grand Canyon, we can come together when needed. And it is very much needed today. God Bless America.