The Great Pretenders

So: Now we’ve had both candidates taking their acts onto a world stage where they probably don’t yet belong. Note that word — candidate. Neither is president.

They’re not even their parties’ nominees yet. They’re “presumptive,” and arguably presumptuous, in their efforts to look presidential.

First we had Barack “Rockstar” Obama taking his magical mystery whirlwind tour through the Middle East and Europe. It was designed to show Obama at home playing with the world’s big boys and big girls, and big crowds, but its lasting impact seems to be the “Celebrity” image Republicans cleverly concocted.

Now we have John “Wayne” McCain shooting from the hip with Georgia on his mind. He, too, is trying to pre-empt the real president, George W. Bush, and yes, Bush still is the real president. No, I’m not kidding.

Meanwhile, we’re supposed to overlook the fact that McCain’s key adviser has been paid lots of money to be a lobbyist for Georgia.

Maybe things will get better when the candidates have something to do. This week, of course, Obama took the week off, and McCain probably should have. However, as we all know, summer vacation is almost over.

Both parties are about to start their silly seasons with huge assemblies. They call them conventions. Each nominee is about to name his vice principal — or, uh, president — and then with the Olympics a faded memory, the REAL games begin.

Of course, the Democrats have to make sure they don’t start with a frenzied battle of the sexists. Assuming they can kiss and make up, they can then march together and face their common enemy.

This time, the Republicans are having uncharacteristic unity problems of their own. Let’s face it, John McCain is not exactly someone the conservatives can rally around, unless he names Ann Coulter as his running mate.

Nevertheless, the GOP has already obviously finished the party platform, and published it. It’s available in book form, written by Jerome Corsi and called The Obama Nation.

It’s likely the Democrats will call theirs The Bush-McCain Nation.

All of which makes the point that once again, this election will be much less about whom the voters are for than whom they are against.

Whichever one survives and wins the election will then need to try and convince Americans that they are FOR working together and sacrificing to make the changes that are imperative if a real president has any chance of rescuing the nation.

Visit Mr. Franken’s website at www.bobfranken.tv.