Smear Campaigns... Seriously?

Okay, let's pretend I'm spending five trillion bazillion dollars to run for president.
Which would be a better usage of my money, time, and effort, A) making myself look good, or B)making the other person look awful?
If you guessed number two, you've just won a trip to Hawaii!
Seriously, am I the only one who thinks it just makes you look bad if you spend all your time smashing on the other person? I don't care what you say they're not going to do, I care what YOU say about what YOU'RE going to do.

Both sides do it, so it's not like I'm being biased one way or the other. I get just as disgusted when the Republicans gossip about how Obama's high school pot usage is affecting his brain as I do when Democrats whine about how Sarah Palin's husband got a DUI. I don't think this affects their term as president... I do think it makes YOU look bad when you spend that much effort trying to dig up skeletons in their closet.

Another thing...
Freedom of speech. Great, right? So let people use it. You can feel as strongly about any issue as you want, but it is your duty to let other people have their opinion as well, whether you agree or not. And seriously, it's just courteous.
If people are going to put time and money into backing up this issue or that one, please just let them make their position known in peace?
I'm not going to say who's right or wrong in the election, or this party or that party. I just think everyone looks stupid when all they can spread is negativity.


Okay, that's my rant for the night.