Lincoln 2008

Not much these days escapes the sprawling reach of technology. Politics is no exception.
The Good: An informed electorate will be better able to choose the candidate they feel is best for the job. Voters do not have to depend on official speeches and televised events to know the views of those running for office. Moral faux pas are also often caught by the media. Some argue politician's personal lives should be off limits. I disagree. I want to know about the character of those who represent me. Technology and the media make this information readily available.
The Bad: Short-attention-span-itis makes for boring elections. If a candidate says or does something perceived to be controversial, we can be sure to be informed immediately by the media. Unfortunately, the controversial remark or situation is rarely considered in context. Candidates realize this, and to avoid controversy, avoid saying anything interesting.
The Ugly: I wonder if Abraham Lincoln could win an election today. Suppose his stove-top hat was out of style. If Lincoln and Clinton (the first) were to run head to head today I have little doubt that we would fail to elect arguably the best President in the history of the United States (no, I'm talking about Lincoln).
Now this time around I would have no problem with the most handsome, smooth-talking candidate winning. Hopefully once he gets in office voters will be pleasantly surprised to learn of his organizational prowess and ability to reverse the fate of world events (see the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics), even if it is his hair that gets him in.
Inspiration for this post: http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm;jsessionid=9a30ea5c5ef966187942?articleid=1806