I didn't mean to start a diatribe about present candidates of one party and a sitting President of the other party running for a second term. I guess I wasn't clear that I was asking a general question, not applying only to now. I would have asked the same question eight years ago when there were primary candidates of one party and a sitting President of the other party running for a second term. I find it appalling, no matter when or on what level of government, to hear candidates tearing each other down, slinging mud, engaging in personal attacks--and then when one is left standing and the rest are bodies on the ground, all of a sudden those bodies all rallying around the one who's left as though everything that was said before was never said. This is just hypocritical at best and outright lying at worst!

I was brought up by parents who required their children to learn, discuss, evaluate, then make an informed decision not just about politics but about everything that affected our lives--basically how to live. As far as politics is concerned, because of their manner of raising their children I am an independent voter, not registered for any party, and this allows me to vote on election day for a specific candidate for a specific office and not vote like a mindless robot for the candidate of a certain party solely because of the party affiliation. I think we have all seen countless members of both parties vote exactly this way. My mother is still alive and would be horrified if I was to do this, and my father would turn in his grave!

Again, I'm sorry I wasn't clear in my question right from the beginning.