Is John McCain a Cheater? 

I agree, I am more interested in the issues and what the next POTUS can do for us rather than how much mud can be slung, but unfortunately that seems to be a time honored tradition in US politics that we Americans seem to be addicted to.  Look at what we consume in the media...reality tv, Jerry Springer and his ilk, the tabloids who make their money speculating which celebrity is fucking who.  The truth is that Americans LOVE dirt and gossip.  It generates ratings and makes people money.  It's no wonder, then, that we love to hear the titilating tidbits about political candidates running for office...what skeletons do they have in their closet?  Some are relevant to the election...if McCain's voting record is 90% with Bush's policies, then how different is his administration going to be from the one we have now?  That is a fair and relevant question to ask, and not just political mudslinging.  Crticizing Cindy McCain for wearing a 300,000 dress to the RNC is childish and catty...who cares?  She can afford a $300,000 dress, I say wear it!!!  When did it become a crime to be rich in America?  You don't like being poor, then go out there and build a better moustrap and make money.  Meh.  So yeah, THAT kind of mudslinging is wholly inappropriate.

Unfortunately for POTUS candidates, historically, when they try to take the "high road" and not sling mud and stick to issues, they end up being criticized for being "wimps" that can't stand up to themselves, and therefore unelectable.  So while one tries to take the high road initially, ineveitably, their handlers convince them to start slinging mud themselves, and what we get is the media, who only seem to care about their bottom line instead of journalistic integrity, start asking the "fluff" questions in interviews rather than relevant political questions.  Certainly, there are exceptiions, but instead of "What's your plan for healthcare?," it's "Where did you buy your glasses?"  Very disappointing, but that's politics.