This week, college newspapers around the country endorsed their candidate for the U.S. presidency. Because our editorial board is evenly split-much like the nation itself-we will not do so. We will, however, endorse the practice of voting well.
In an election as important as this one, where the country is at war, citizens fear another terrorist attack and the economy is running on a deficit, ignorance and laziness have no place at the polls.
An informed voter cannot base his or her decisions on melodramatic television ads or 30-second evening news sound bytes, and it is not enough to watch The Daily Show with Jon Stewart or Saturday Night Live to be election-savvy. These programs are meant to entertain (hence why the former is on Comedy Central and why the latter’s “Weekend Update” lasts five minutes), and although they allude to current events, they do not paint a complete picture of the issues that are important on Election Day.
Likewise, as pleasing to the eye as it may be to watch Ben Affleck stumping for Sen. John Kerry or Kid Rock supporting President George W. Bush, celebrity endorsements ought to be irrelevant when deciding whom to vote for. The only reason why celebrity endorsements make the news is precisely that-celebrity, and not any particular knowledge or expertise behind them.
There has been so much mudslinging this campaign season that it is difficult to sort through the truth and the clich