Hillary and Obama: A lovefest with "puke" written all over it.

Cartoonist Thomas Nast's 1875 illustration of how politicians have tied up "Justice" in red tape. Crooks in foreground are laughing.

This is exactly why I hate politicians, our political party system and politics in general.

UNITY, N.H.—Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton sought Friday to turn the page on their bitter, history-making fight for the Democratic presidential nomination, declaring the next chapter is about beating Republican John McCain...Obama and Clinton stood on a platform before thousands of cheering, shouting supporters and took turns praising each other and urging party solidarity. She called the nominee-in-waiting a standup guy. Clinton noted that they had stood "toe to toe" against each other in a primary season fight that began almost two years ago and declared the time has come to "stand shoulder to shoulder" against the GOP. "To anyone who voted for me and is now considering not voting or voting for Sen. (John) McCain, I strongly urge you to reconsider," said Clinton, beseeching her supporters to join with Obama's "to create an unstoppable force for change we can all believe in." In turn, Obama praised both Clinton and her husband as allies and pillars of the Democratic Party. "We need them. We need them badly," Obama said.

Clinton said. "If you think we need a new course, a new agenda, then vote for Barack Obama and you will get the change that you need and deserve." "I've admired her as a leader, I've learned from her as a candidate. She rocks. She rocks. That's the point I'm trying to make," Obama added, responding to cheers from the crowd. "I know firsthand how good she is, how tough she is, how passionate she is, how committed she is the causes that brought all of us here today."

Someone please tell me when the ass-kissing, bullshit is over???? You don't have to be a Democratic, Republican, Independent, Socialist, Libertarian or Druid to realize this photo-op, "solidarity" gesture reeks of hypocrisy. Rocks in the head, more like it.

First off, political parties exist because a bunch of people over here believe one thing and a bunch of people over there believe another thing. So if they all basically believe in the same thing, why are they ripping each other new assholes during the Democratic primary? Isn't it really all about likability and experience? As far as "what would you do in office" - it's a mute point. You can't do anything if your party doesn't hold a majority in the Houses and your Presidential power is limited by a series of checks and balances so you don't mistakenly lean on the Red Button and blow our neighbors up.

Secondly, if you were ripping on your colleague during the primary, how can you suddenly be patting them on the back, praising them and saying, "she rocks"? Two-faced, lying bastards. Most of them. No - pretty much all of them. It's the perfect illustration of party politics, shenanigans, back-stabbing and false promises that's rampant in our political system (any political system, for that matter).

OK. You're going to tell me that it's all for party solidarity at this point. And I say, "blow me". Don't talk to me about "parties". Our political party system is filled with career politicians who won't fart without considering the ramifications to their career. The entire idea that two candidates - Obama and Hillary - banding together for solidarity's purpose perfectly illustrates the problems of partisan politics. Politicians vote on issues not the way their constituents want them to vote (if they would we wouldn't be fighting in Iraq) but how their party votes. Look at the voting results sometime. Here's an example:

S. 1315 - To increase benefits for disabled U.S. veterans and provide a fair benefit to World War II Filipino veterans for their service to the United States. The vote result was 41 YEAS and 56 NAYS. All the NAYS were Democrat, save 5 votes.

Imagine that. The Democrats aren't in favor of increasing benefits to disabled U.S vets and they aren't in favor of fair benefits to WWII Filipino vets. Democrats are generally anti-war and Republicans are thought of as pro-war (you know what I mean). I'm won't get into the meat of this bill (maybe the Dems were in favor of the bill but there were particulars they weren't in agreement with the Reps about). The point is they voted in a block - as a party.

Lemmings. Insanity. I need to head back up to the Sequoia National Park and stay there for a while. Things seem to make more sense up there.