By Staff
Candidates don't have to sling mud
As temperatures slide out of the 90s and the nights get a little cooler, we have a lot to look forward to this fall.
No, we don't just mean football - we're talking about the political season that will heat up again before the November election.
Locally, we have a state house race on the ballot, as longtime state Rep. Skippy White faces challenger Alan Baker for the seat. Both men have been out shaking hands and keeping their faces out in front of the public, but so far both men have been gentlemen in this race.
We wish all political candidates would keep that attitude. It seems that with every major election we see mudslinging of some sort, and this year's Alabama governor's race is no different.
Lucy Baxley is a liberal because she praised Hillary Clinton, say Gov. Bob Riley's campaign ads, and Riley has accepted gambling money, says Baxley's campaign.
Problem is, Baxley was praising Clinton for her role as a mother, and Riley's campaign maintains he never took gambling money.
Both camps are distorting the truth to paint a black and white picture - when reality is a whole lot more gray.
What we wish candidates would understand is that while political attacks may help gain attention, they do nothing to illustrate the issues for voters who simply want to choose the best candidate for the job.
As the election season continues, we can expect more and more attacks.
But we hope that somewhere amid the mud, voters will be able to find the truth and make their decisions based on fact, not on distortions.