Facts? Who Needs Facts When You've Got Sex and Guts!!

Let's face it, the Republicans are running this race on sex and guts: Palin's sex and McCain's POW guts. Ann Coulter has made it quite cxlear that she'll vote for the Republican ticket because there's a woman on board. She's referred to Palin as "our poor brave Sarah" when it comes to the media and every introduction of John McCain recounts (ad nauseum) his record as a courageous Viet Nam hero put to the test by all sorts of tortures. Palin has overtly lied about more than several of her qualifications. The latest stretch of the imagination is this:

PALIN: Let me speak specifically about a credential that I do bring to this table, Charlie, and that’s with the energy independence that I’ve been working on for these years as the governor of this state that produces nearly 20 percent of the U.S. domestic supply of energy...

But, as the non-partisan FactCheck.org points out, Palin’s claim about Alaska producing 20 percent of America’s domestic energy supply is “not true. Not even close.” In fact, “Alaska’s share of domestic energy production was 3.5 percent.”

And even if Palin confused "energy" with crude oil, she would have been off by quite a margin: 14%, not 20%. And this is a woman whom John McCain touted as knowing more about energy than "anyone else in the entire United States." And McCain and the economy:

As the Wonk Room has noted, McCain’s tax cuts would produce the highest federal deficit in 25 years. After inheriting Bush’s $407 billion deficit, yearly deficits under McCain would increase sharply, beginning with at least $505 billion in FY2009.

McCain has not specified how he would pay for his tax cuts, though he claims he will balance the budget in his first term. Recognizing that McCain’s math doesn’t add up, McCain’s top economic adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin has said, “I would like the next president not to talk about deficit reduction.”

When will the American public realize that being entertained with sex and guts is not the same as watching a candidate who is backed by facts? I'm reminded of lyrics in the musical Chicago: "Give 'em the ole razzle-dazzle, razzle-dazzle 'em. Give 'em a show with lot's of flash in it and the reaction will be passionate." Palin and McCain are little more than 8' glossy cardboard cutouts. If elected, these cutouts will be running the country.