The truth shall make you flee

A New York Times article on NJ Gov. Chris Christie caught my attention. It describes his particular campaign style, in the words of a NJ Democratic Assemblyman, as an assault.

If this isn't the truth,

then this is what the

truth ought to be.

I found that interesting because Christie's campaigning had begun to remind me of Fox news, particularly its commentators. They often play fast and loose with the truth and will hurl insults, jibes, censure and detractions at issues and people rather than research and parse the details. It's sort of a John Wayne approach that has as much appeal in real life as it did in the westerns the Duke starred in.

This sort of shoot-first-and-dodge-questions-later campaigning is probably nothing new—nothing ever is—and is likely even more attractive because of it's bold disregard for the niceties. It's a very American attitude, in a tame-the-frontier manifest-destiny sort of way. It says, "If this isn't the truth, then this is what the truth ought to be."

Not very scientific. But what do those fancy-pants eggheads know about common sense, anyway?

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