It's a dirty job but someone has to do it.

Though we pay lip service to the notion that we, as a nation, are dismayed with the idea of "business as usual," we surely only mean this as practiced by the other fellow. We continue to play our partisan games, easily herding others into divergent camps, rushing ourselves to declare our loyalties to our own camps. Our passionate rhetoric is always great for our side, horrible for the other. But enough of the intro here; let's get down to brass tacks:

First, anybody who cries racism or sexism in this election is simply a putz. Or haven't they been watching? Obama and Clinton have disproved the notion that white racism rules this country. Yes, there are racists in this country, but no, they do have the numbers to make any sort of real difference. Except of course when the legion of Chicken Littles, point-the-finger-at-the-other guy drones make it a difference. I even had a Bulgarian tourist tell me that America would never elect a black guy! Geeze, how did our candidates made it this far?? For those of you with no imagination, I'll tell you: it was with a great deal of input from the white vote. Perhaps Americans are voting based on the content of the candidate's character. Wow! What a concept!

Next, I have made it very clear that when Obama dissed rural Americans as being "bitter" and "clinging to their religion and guns," he lost a hitherto unabashed supporter in me. It was compounded when he refused to explain or apologize. It was made a thousand times worse in my feeble mind when I was attacked on various blogs for daring to empathize with rural Americans. I've also read political cartoons and opinions since then that have ridiculed rural Americans as loutish, uneducated, intolerant and... get this... poor cooks!

But when speakers at the Republican National Convention lambasted community organizers..... well, that was despicable. Giuliani is the price of idiots, and an obnoxious jerk to boot. Thompson is more eloquent (who couldn't be?) but he was shamefully wrong about Obama's lack of leadership experience. Palin was sensational, but she too decried community organizers. I've lived in Alaska, and I can tell you.... it's a state filled with community organizers.

Which brings me to my next rant: now Alaskans are being attacked as loutish, backwoodish, and uneducated. Watching the lumberjack parody on the SNL news segment last night, I was offended. Alaska, by the way, is also a land of ethnic tolerance. I've read reports that criticized Alaska as being... you guessed, it... racist.... because there aren't many blacks or Latinos there. Well, residents reside there because of their individual choice. Alaskans all have one thing in common: they're there because they genuinely want to live in this isolated, cold, dark and exhobitantly priced state. That's the common leveler, and that's why equality exists in Alaska: respect for each other's decision to simply be there and make a living there.

Next, who cares about McCain's 7 houses? It is not an issue. There are plenty of movie and music celebrities who may not have 7 houses, but certainly have more than one or two. Plenty whose 1 mansion adds up to more property and value than McCain's 7. There are celebrities who own homes both domestically and abroad! And no, don't ask me for their names. Look it up yourself.

The same celebrities make much more money that McCain, then throw fund-raisers and charity concerts in the hopes of getting all of us to raise enough money for whatever cause they support at the moment. They could just as easily reach into their own pockets and pull out more money than could ever hope to be raised by these fund-raisers.

Next, Plain seems to be playing fast and loose with the facts of her own career. Honesty would help here. And McCain, who has repeatedly said in recent interviews that he respects another person's right to choose and that he respects community organizers, has got to stop playing the above-it-all untouchable who disagrees with what the provocateurs in his party are saying.Does he really thing we're that obtuse?

Next: McCain, who cares if Obama said "pigs with lipstick"? Stop the distracting spinning!

And Democrats? McCain can't type, you knee-jerk reactionaries! He can't even tie his shoes. He's physically unable. My neighbor Phil doesn't use the Internet either - but he's still one of the most intellectually sharp, compassionate persons I know. And a natural leader.

And last (for now) the hell with this partisan posturing! I've easily asked hundreds of people about their presidential preference. Nobody I've spoken to, not one, has made up their mind yet. Both McCain and Obama are men of substance, both with tremendous assets and liabilities. So spare me the rah-rah bit, OK? This is too important an election to be wasted on party-line demagoguery.

See you next time.....