We’re pretty sure that on Sunday, Democratic and Republican candidates will still be running attack ads. But it’s possible the Rally to Restore Sanity could have some effect on the national conversation.
Jon Stewart's Rally to Restore Sanity will run for about three hours on the National Mall this weekend. In that length of time, will the gathering actually be able to restore sanity to America’s political dialogue?[more]
Well, that’s a high bar. We’re pretty sure that on Sunday, Democratic and Republican candidates will still be labeling one another “extreme” and running attack ads with scary music and unflattering shots of their opponents. Even after Tuesday’s elections, party leaders of all persuasions will continue to describe the other side as the main obstacle to getting the sputtering US economy back on track.
For Mr. Stewart, this persistence of partisanship is a good thing, by the way. If American politics were as placid as the Rio Grande at sunset, he’d have a much harder time finding things to skewer on his show.