During the first debate between Gore and Bush, it occured to me that neither of these people were attacking the other’s party. Nowhere did one say, “Vote for me because I am a _____ and he is a _____ and my party is good and his party is bad.” No, it was, “Vote for me because my ideas are better than his”.
It wasn’t always this way. Candidates used to routinely unbraid the other candidates party and identify the candidate as a creature of the other party. No more. Matter of fact, it seems as if candidates go out of their way NOT to attack the opponents party. What kind of two party system is it when there are no parties fielding their respective programs?
If I were a candidate I would dig through the other candidates party program and say things like, “Well, Jones here claims to support ____, but he is a Groundhog Party candidate and that Party supports ____.” Then I quote from his party program and make him squirm.
Why doesn’t it go this way?