Zitat des Tages von Jack Germond:
American voters have to pay closer attention to politics if they want to avoid four years of whining about the outcome.
I loved politics and, I confess, I enjoyed politicians immensely.
The country is stronger than the result of any one election. But we shouldn't forget that these are just ordinary people. I wish Americans would look at them level, not down or up - just level. It doesn't take some special dimension to be president.
Candidates should be extremely cautious in displaying a sense of humor. If he or she tells a joke with a point, there is almost certain to be some minority group offended.
Most of the good people of my generation... had offers to become editors, but the thought of going inside was just absolutely horrifying.
Politicians read the polls that show 85 or 90 percent of the voters profess a belief in God, so they identify themselves with religion, often only to the degree necessary to reach the constituency they are targeting.
Unsurprisingly, the poll-takers don't talk a lot in public about the ignorance of the electorate on political and public policy matters. And the politicians are not going to disclose the, let's say, limited body of knowledge in their constituencies. You don't get elected calling your voters airheads.
Television doesn't like politics very well, if you can infer that from the way they cover it.
Rather than fretting about IQ scores, voters should try to determine what candidates read - other than the Bible, which they all say they read - and the kind of people with whom they spend their time.
The secret of doing well on TV is to understand that it's not too important. A lot of people watching doesn't change anything.
Every newspaper editor says the heart of the paper is the reporter - which is true - except for the pay!
I have always argued that newspapers should not have any civic purpose beyond telling readers what is happening... A reporter who doesn't quickly tell readers what they most want to know - the score - won't last long. Better he should teach political science.
