Everyone's Favorite Topic: Politics

This originally started as a Sideblog post, but I guess I have more to say about it than I had originally thought. When I had finished writing it, I realized it was entirely too long to stick over there. I'm kind of disgusted that more of the Presidential Hopefuls didn't participate in 10 Questions. Any one of them could have completed it in under an hour on the back of their tour buses, but so many are 100% absent that it makes me think they don't believe in the spread and influence of "the Internets." Even though I won't be voting for Huckabee, I'm impressed that he was the only GOP candidate to chime in. I certainly respect him for that. And what about candidates like Ron Paul who whine all day and all night about not being given the chance to participate in debates, but who is a total no-show here when the stage was his for the taking. Methinks he doth protest too much. (If he really had anything to say other than, "Let me debate!" he would have said it.) Hasn't Hillary prided herself on her outreach and honesty? (She does have to, after Bill's impeachment hearings…) Not a single response from her. This is no piddly little website, either. 10 Questions is in cahoots with the NY Times, MSNBC, and a host of other organizations spanning the entire political spectrum. I commend Edwards, Gravel, and Kucinich (… Who?) for at least sending in a response to every question. It could be argued that some of their responses skirt the question, but at least they responded. That's like getting some base points for spelling your name correctly on the SAT's. What drives me insane about this is that the overwhelming reason that candidates ignore or dance around issues is so that nobody will know for sure where they stand on the issue. All so that they can remain in the gray area and maybe get a few votes that they wouldn't if they admitted they were pro-whale-hunting, or whatever. I could just smack the whole lot of them. As far as I am personally concerned: I don't care what your viewpoint is, I just want you to pick one side or the other, and believe in it. Show some courage. Take chances. (Grow a pair!) I bet it would net you more votes than it cost you.