The wrong scorecards

Polls and the money chase; that's what our media give us. Who's ahead in which poll, the margin of error; who has raised the most money, from where, what effect, is it legal. A visitor from Mars would watch TV and assume the person with the most money raised wins the election - not the number of votes.

We have many complex and serious issues, and campaign finance may be one of them. But is it asking TOO much for our talking heads to cover and analyze actual issues? Are we off base in expecting the press and pundits to challenge candidates on their claims, in person and in campaign ads? Why can't our debates be more than a series of claims and counterclaims with no intercession or clarification by the reporters, moderators? FactCheck seems to be an underused resource.

Our nation needs a vigorous press to stand in our place and get the real story, to challenge the candidates who will represent us in OUR government. Instead, they either shout and interrupt or are wall flowers posing questions without good follow up. Folks, you stand in our place with our candidates. Do your job and behave in a way consistent with the founder's views on freedom of the press as essential to democracy. Right now, you have a long way to go to meet the test.