The Cosmopolitan Blog

Well, what a morning! I’m preparing breakfast and watching CNN as i do most Saturdays, and it’s just 1 bad breaking news after another: an American tourist is killed in Beijing, a bus-load of kids is killed in Texas, the Russians have invaded neighboring Georgia, Bernie Mac dies at 50 (totally didn’t see that one coming!) and John Edwards confesses to having an affair based on an investigation from the National Enquirer!

Um, hold up, can we spend some time on that last one please? The National Enquirer????? Since when do celebrities confess to something uncovered in the worst of the worst gossip rags? lol, ok, i’m over that one now.

I have to say though, I am SO tired of us getting shocked and exhasperated everytime it turns out that a politician has had an affair. You’d think after the 3rd one, we’d get bored, wouldn’t you? I mean, seriously, we got the mother-load with Bill Clinton, you’d think anyone after that was just inconsequential, no? Why does this stuff still make the headlines at the same level as a bus-load of kids killed in a bus crash?

Ok, look, i work in marketing, and one of the things you do in marketing is identify trends. And i think it’s safe to say, that, over the years, the trend seems to be that politicians are just like the rest of us, ALL OF THEM. Why do we we think that, just because they’ve chosen to be our representatives in government, they will be exempt from such temptations?

And i know many disagree with this, but, ok, so the man was having marital issues and strayed. Does this now annul everything he’s done in his political career? Hearing the anchors this morning, this will RUIN his career. Why? I mean, it’s our own fault if we thought he was THAT saintly that he was above human temptation, because then we’re only gonna hurt ourselves when we find out he isn’t.

And you know what, i’d much rather know that he’s human, because then i can relate to him a lot better. And if his vice is cheating on his wife, that makes him a normal red-blooded male, who, it’s good to know, is interested in women, which beats the alternative of us finding out he’s molested a child or raped a teenager, yes?

So let’s get some perspective here, people. John Edwards is still the same John Edwards some of you supported all these years and hoped would make the White House. He’s the same man, with the same dedication to his country. But, for reasons that we will never know, his marriage was going through troubles and he screwed up. It happens. Don’t read into it, this doesn’t allow you to predict whether or not he’d screw up in his career, we don’t know that, he could very well screw up in his career without having an affair.

UGH, this is a very frustrating morning, maybe i’ll just go back to bed. And, um, seriously? Bernie Mac passed away?? Now that’s sucky, he was so funny!!!

So, let’s assume, for a second, that Barak Obama becomes the democratic nominee for the US presidency. It’s pretty clear that’s he’s nearly there, so it’s a safe assumption. But now, the question is, who will be his running mate? The thing is, I believe this is a question he should address soon, because if he plays his cards right, his running mate could have a really great following that he would then benefit from.

So. His choices. Well, Hillary would be one. That would be the perfect ticket, right? The thing is, i strongly believe that their policies are actually very different (some even say Hillary is closer on her policy to McCain is certain ways), so i don’t see how they could see such a partnership, it would confuse the message, i mean, they would then have to decide, well, which policy on healthcare, which policy on environment do we pick?

Option 2: John Edwards. He just endorsed Obama, so it would be a safe assumption. He would bring the white male vote (and young female vote) to the ticket, that could be useful. Problem is, i think he’s pretty much said, he wouldn’t want to be on a ticket as VP again, he’s been there, done that. (Having said that, he also said he wasn’t ready to endorse anyone, 24 hours before he endorsed Obama).

So, yesterday, around our weekly family dinner table, this idea came up, and i think it’s a very viable one. What about Nancy Pelosi for vice-president? It’s like combining the above 2 options. She has policies that are close to those of Obama and John Edwards, AND she’s a white woman, so she could potentially appease all those Hillary supporters who will feel snubbed, and who are, apparently, considering voting for McCain if Hillary’s not an option. I think Nancy Pelosi, as the speaker of the house (3rd highest position after President and VP) brings experience, contacts, and more than that, her personality is a lot better fit, i believe. Hillary, i’ve always found, has a self-centeredness and selfishness about her, she is power hungry and can be ruthless. Nancy does give that impression, and if i can allow myself to be an idealist for a second, she makes me believe that she would have the health of the country in mind with everything she does.