The Price of Milk in America

Guliani doesn't know the price of milk

I haven't made up my mind as to whom I will support for the 2008 election. In fact I have vowed not to talk (too much) about it for right now. However, this is more of a general beef with the media coverage of an election, rather than this specific election. My issue is why in the hell does it matter if the Presidential candidates know the price of milk?

If a candidate does know the price of milk, he is either an incredibly thrifty person, or is just remembering the note one of his staffers gave him. Anyone who thinks a candidate that knows the price of milk is a "man of the people" is asking to be fooled.

That isn't to say that our leaders shouldn't know the price of milk, or at least pay attention to the problems of the average voter. When President Bartlet asked that his staff be given the price of milk, he wasn't doing it to show that he and his staff were common people. Rather, he was doing it to remind his staff of the hardships and issues facing the average person, and to keep that in mind when doing their job.

Unfortunately, this is one of those questions that candidates will probably be asked until the end of elected government. Obviously, they shouldn't give the wrong answer, and should keep the staffers on top of this wherever they go. But no citizen should base their voting decision on the answer to this question. In this case at least, actions speak louder than words.