If these consultants were so necessary to the promotion of environmental programs and bungalow restoration, why such a quick cut of funds? Someone must be cutting the fat and letting go of dead weight. Even so, City Hall also announced that the new budget would reduce the number of public relations officials next year by consolidating departments.

I both applaud and frown at City Hall. On one hand, effectively utilizing the city’s budget and workforce is to be commended. Finding the best way to be as efficient and cost effective as possible is so important in times of economic downturn. On the other hand, I certainly hope that the city is not eliminating public relations professionals because they feel they are unnecessary. Trust me, you’ll miss them when they’re gone if this is the case.

While narrow definitions of opposing candidates are hardly new, this year’s anticipated record turnout of voters is a reflection of the stark and easily-delineated differences between – and spin about – John McCain and Barack Obama.

If you consider the more objective professional, personal and life  differences inherent in being pro-surge vs. anti-surge; African-American vs. Caucasian; older vs. younger; experienced vs. academic; passionate vs. even-tempered; or war veteran/ prisoner of war vs. no military experience, we’re still rational in our evaluation of candidates and their unique qualifications at this time in our nation’s history.

However, one reason for the record-breaking voter turnout expected today is that this election has not been cast in those terms.  Instead, consider the sound bites that pass as evaluation criteria:  grumpy old man vs. effete intellectual; Muslim terrorist vs. Christian wife-cheater; war hero vs. community organizer; patriot vs. a “flag-hater;” hopeless naiveté vs. cynical realism – and that’s even before we get into the caricatures of the vice presidential candidates.

Lost in all this hyperbole and spin is the fact that an anticipated 40% – 49% of your fellow voters will wake up tomorrow having supported “the loser.”  Many supporters of either candidate will either crow or cry – still speaking in the bitter, negative and unproductive soundbites of the campaign.

And that would be a tragedy:  regardless of who wins, November 5, 2008 represents a new chapter in the future of the United States (and the free world, for that matter.)    We are fortunate that  regardless who wins this election, we have had the opportunity to select between two very fine, very smart, very decent, very dedicated, very competent – and extraordinarily different – candidates.  And that should never get lost in the “spin…”

McCain campaign manager Rick Davis, in a memo explaining why his candidate remains confident despite trailing by an average of 6.5 in national polls: “Today, he expanded his buy into North Dakota, Georgia and Arizona in an attempt to widen the playing field and find his 270 Electoral Votes. This is a very tall order and trying to expand into new states in the final hours shows he doesn’t have the votes to win.”

I think this is spin to the ultimate degree.  Why would McCain have to extend his buy into traditionally red states if he wasn’t worried about losing?  I mean, ARIZONA is his home state.  He should have the electoral votes in his home state nailed down and not have to buy any media there at all.

Nice try, Davis.  How about if you can’t tell the truth, don’t release a memo at all?