Political sparring and taking personal swipes at each other is an expected part of any presidential campaign. Each candidate needs to prove why they are the most qualified, the most trustworthy, and the best decision maker. Meanwhile they need to discredit their opponents in the eyes of the voters, creating doubt as to the other candidates' integrity, values, or experience.
These battles ensue within each party until a candidate has clearly won that party's nomination, and the individual who will represent each party come November is finally named. Such hostilities normally take place within both parties, so the sparring of candidates is not all that noticeable.
This campaign has taken an interesting turn, though. McCain has won the Republican nomination hands-down, and stands alone as he begins his final run for the White House, counting down until the election in November.
Meanwhile, on the Democratic side of the ticket, there is no clearly defined winner yet. In fact, the race is too close to even speculate about a winner right now. This leaves Obama and Clinton going at each other full force - Obama questioning Clinton's integrity and Clinton raising doubts about Obama's experience. Each candidate has been branded with shortcomings in the minds of the voters, and McCain never had to utter a single negative word about either.
Sparring is Hurting More than Just the Candidates
The battles littering the campaign trail have become increasingly acrimonious, with comments from both sides that have led to party divisions along race and gender boundaries. The Democratic Party fears that if the battle does not settle down some, there will be such a division within the Democratic Party that it will not be able to unite enough to defeat McCain come November. Members of the party recognize that voters are more interested in the candidate's qualifications, and how they feel about such things as free trade or supporting independent business owners.
Neither side has been able to control harsh comments unleashed by campaign staff members, and as such, many have resigned their positions after pushing things too far. Obama's foreign policy adviser, Samantha Power, resigned after she had referred to Hillary Clinton as a monster, and the most recent in a string of losses from Hillary Clinton's staff was Geraldine Ferraro, who inferred that Obama would not have made it this far if not for his race. She is now being charged with accusations of racism.
Meanwhile, McCain is able to focus his efforts on fundraising and planning his strategy for the final run for the White House. He is able to concentrate on issues such as rebuilding a failing economy, protecting America from terrorists, and attend meetings that bolster his relationships with world leaders. He is able to build a reputation of trustworthiness and solid decision-making ability, while the Democratic nominees continue on a path towards mutual political devastation.
Clinton and Obama Observe Brief Truce
Apparently the candidates have at least realized their behavior lately has more destructive than beneficial tendencies, and were seen conversing politely with each other recently on the floor of the Senate. While nobody could overhear their conversations, representatives from both sides agreed that the candidates agreed they should focus more on qualifications and issues, and try to keep a leash on their supporters as the election draws closer in order to keep at least an air of civility alive in the campaign.