Some recent comments by mainstream media columnists have missed the point on a major paradigm shift that aided Democrats in the 1992 and 1996 presidential elections.

Comments have been made that, in the same manner as the current McCain campaign strategy, the focus was on avoiding issues and dealing with personalities, as evidenced by the Swift Boat campaign of 2004, the "Gore as serial exaggerator" in 2000 and the infamous Willie Horton campaign of 1988.

Certain commentators have treated the 1992 campaign as an aberration, with some explaining that Lee Atwater was near death and this changed the campaign dynamic.  It did not do so anymore than Steve Schmidt replacing Karl Rove.  

In 1992 Atwater was simply replaced with lobbyist-campaign manager Charlie Black, who is back aboard in this election working for John McCain.  

David McClain of Seattle in the June 6 Seattle Times had this to say in a letter to the editors:

"Keeping the military machine in the Middle East is not in our best interest, as it radicalizes those who perceive us as an aggressive imperial force, serving no defensive purpose.

"If we want to wager perpetual war for perpetual peace, then by all means let's charge abroad and impose ourselves upon every corner of the globe.

"We'll go broke in the process and will be on high terror alert every day of our lives."

Remember when Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld mouthed the slogan to get the infamous war against Iraq going?  He referred to it as the "Shock and Awe" campaign.  This fantasy driven campaign to strike fear into citizens of Iraq and the fear campaign aimed at American citizens with the false claim of being threatened by those non-existent weapons of mass destruction, did result in plenty of shock.

The entire world watched in shock and horror as they witnessed massive destruction inflicted on Iraq, based on cunningly woven lies and deception.  Lest we forget, war is the number one moneymaker.  The greed driven mentalities of warmongers is always waiting to spring into action.

Rumsfeld was on a different mission in 1983.  Press release photos showed Donald on something less than a divine mission.  He was shaking hands with dictator Saddam Hussein as he solidified a deal exchanging "weapons" from the US for an oil deal.

This assisted in killing the Kurds and the Iranians with US assistance in the arms department.  Then it was in fashion to assist dictator Sadden.  When Saddam became angry with Kuwait slant drilling (stealing) Iraqi oil, before Saddam revengefully invaded Kuwait, he did extend the courtesy of asking the US powers that be what the US would do if he invaded Kuwait.

At last the full picture of the Republican morality charade is becoming evident for every truly patriotic U.S. citizen to see and shudder at over the extent of the hypocrisy involved.

What Bill Clinton did that rallied the "religious" (so-called "right") to feverishly demand impeachment stands out in stark contrast to the terrifying reign of terror conducted by the Bush Administration.

Remember the forever smiling Ken Starr throwing millions of taxpayer dollars down the drain to prosecute Bill Clinton?  Let's face a reality check.  What President Clinton did pales by comparison with that White House resident Bush has been up to during the past sex years of his deceit dominated Administration.

As the staggering national debt skyrockets, the Republican-dominated Congress hasn't had to worry about where their ill-gotten gains are coming from.  They have money gushing in to them in a floodtide of lobbyist cash for big business votes.  

What it amounts to technically is bribe artistry engineered by big business to demolish democracy, while at the same time we self-righteously proclaim that we are attempting to bring democracy in Iraq, all disconnected from their oil reserves, they repeatedly insist.