Simple Answers. Complex Answers.

"Can Political Discourse Get Any Dumber?" Angela Winters asks.

The simple answer is yes. The more complex answer follows.

Maybe I have too much faith in the American people, but I just don’t get that they’ll fall for this. They’ll laugh about it and those who can’t stand Obama will use it to dig at him, but no one really believes that he was calling Palin a pig. Right?

I think the McCain campaign really does think that some people are dumb enough to buy into this accusation. But most of those people are already supports so there isn't much net gain there. However, I don't think this is the ultimate point of this attack.

The more cynical people become about politics the more Republicans succeed. Why? Because Democrats rely more on idealism and hope why Republicans live and breathe fear and despair. They thrive on cynicism.

No matter how this latest crap plays out, a segment of the low-information public will throw up their hands in disgust at politics and blame Obama equally for it. In a close election, that is all McCain needs.