Spiked: The show must go on

Someone stands on the podium and announces in a confident voice that he will do everything better. The audience applauds frenetically. Flags and banners wave above their heads. The speaker kisses his wife, hugs his three children and waves to the crowd. He is the hero of the crowd. His vest as white as his bleached teeth. But doesn't everyone have a proverbial corpse buried somewhere in the darkest corner of their cellar? And if it has already been disposed of properly, then a stranger can be foisted on you during the election campaign. The mudslinging has begun. America elects a new president in November. Or a new old one. But before Democrats and Republicans go head to head in the ring, the conservative candidates are tearing each other apart. Somehow strange. Don't they all come from roughly the same political corner? Don't they stand for roughly the same values? At least compared to their arch-enemy, the Democrats. Maybe they're good buddies in private. Admire each other's gun collections. And talk about God and the world over a glass of whiskey. But there is a war going on. And tough times call for tough measures. Sometimes a male friendship is sacrificed.

The sad part of the whole story, however, is not the strange behavior of politicians running for office at election time. No, it is the fact that voters play along with this game. That even educated people adopt preconceived opinions and vote on this basis. Why else do the mistakes and shortcomings of your opponent count more than your own achievements in an election campaign? Ultimately, the office of president is a job. Admittedly, not the easiest. But that is precisely why someone running for it should be able to demonstrate a corresponding track record. But when it comes to the responsible task of a head of state, this doesn't seem to carry much weight. Here, those who make the best speeches and are the most efficient at putting their opponents on the spot come out on top. Voters are only too happy to be lulled by the promises. And then he takes office, the new man, and the seriousness of life begins. He will only be judged by his achievements. Like Obama. Americans were full of hope when he took his oath with his hand on the book of all books. Full of hope that the Messiah would now take his seat in the White House and fix everything. Or at least Harry Potter. Because the person who wants to solve all the big and small problems in this huge country would have to be able to work magic. After all, the grace period only lasts four years. Then it's back to shooting. Do you remember the game "chocolate eating", which - at least in my day - was never missing at children's birthday parties? By the time the hat, scarf and gloves are finally in place and you can start tampering with the chocolate, drenched in sweat and armed with a knife and fork, someone else has probably rolled another six and the whole thing starts all over again. Will the Americans give Barack Obama one more term in office so that he can reduce the chocolate mountain a little more? Will they put their trust in him once again, even though he hasn't managed to make everyone happy in four years? Or are the majority convinced that the Republicans can do better after all? Only to realize in eight years at the latest that they haven't managed it either. Full of hope, voters will then once again listen to the promises of a Democratic presidential candidate and be convinced that, yes, this is the one. This is the one who will lead our country out of the crisis. The show must go on.