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The Dog Days of Campaign '96 (Ostrich Race, Part 2) |
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by Paul Tullis
Not having witnessed any of the campaign first- or second-hand, I can't be too sure about this, but I think that this has been the single most boring presidential election in history. Nothing happened in politics or world affairs to force a response from the candidates; the conventions, according to friends and colleagues who attended, were lame, scripted affairs that even a child could see through; and Ralph Nader, the only candidate who might be expected to say anything original, has, according to friends active in the Green Party, acted like a hermit since summer. Of course, Clinton and Dole agree on almost every domestic issue. And from what I hear,international affairs have been wholly absent from the election; even though the president can affect foreign policy more than anything. My prediction is this: Clinton will win in an election with the lowest overall turnout of eligible voters ever. Last time he got 43% of the vote from 55% of eligible voters, which is something like 24% of the country voting for him. This time it will be less.
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