Really interesting article by Ryan Lizza of TNR, who is out on the trail with Bush. He describes it as alomst being "transported into a parallel universe." The Bush campaign of course refuses to let non-supporters into his campaign events. (Bush spoke recently here in Columbus at Nationwide Arena. I would have liked to have gone, and I even would have ponied up the $10 to get in. However, I would have been required to sign an oath of loyalty, given them my personal information, and said that I was willing to volunteer for the campaign. Um, no thanks.) They have built such a bubble (Andrew Sullivan termed it a cocoon) around the president that blocks out the negative. Anything that does not fit in this structure is simply disreagrded as irrelevant or blamed on the "liberal media."

What's funny is the fact that I don't think they know they are doing it. There is such a sense detatchment from both campaigns to the voters. I think the Kerry people sit around, scratch their heads, and wonder how the hell anyone could vote for Bush. It seems so obvious to them that they are blinded.

Ryan makes a good point about how Bush's reputation for being plain-spoken helps him avoid the truth:

"In fact, the genius of Bush's fetish with speaking clearly and plainly is that it makes it much easier for him to get away with saying things that aren't true. In the Bush campaign, simplicity is equated with veracity."

I think, the idea of Bush being a liar just does not fit the frame in which we see the campaign. The press has never held him to anywhere near the standard they hold others to. We have it framed as...Kerry flip-flops, Bush tells it like he sees it. Bush wants smaller governement, Kerry more. It's all packaging, not substance. We simplify these things so much sometimes that we cannot see what is outside these little boxes. Why to we elect the leader of the free world just like we choose our soda or fast food. If Kerry could somehow go on sale or offer a mail in rebate he would win handily.

Sigh...