Take the pledge

Take the pledge

: In every campaign, we get to the debates and we come to that moment when one candidate — the most recently slimed — turns to his opponent — the most recent slimer — and challenges him to take a pledge to run a clean campaign.

It’s time to take the pledge now, boys.

But this time, it’s the voters who will turn to you and tell you to put down the rocks.

We have just 11 weeks left until we pick a President. We have huge issues to debate. We have unprecedented threats facing us. We have new opportunities as well. The last thing we need right now is more mud.

I was going to wonder this morning whether this was the dirtiest campaign in modern history. But then Layne reminded me of a few others (see below). Yes, there have been dirtier dirty tricks. But the tenor of this campaign and its coverage is turning unrelievedly slimy. Enough.

Put down the rocks. Tell your bullies to put down their rocks.

Take the pledge, boys.