This comes by way of an honorable man, a great writer and possibly America's greatest observer,  namely H.L. Mencken.  He has long since left this saloon here on earth but his writings still are appropriate.  Here we go.

"A national political campaign is better than the best circus ever heard of, with a mass baptism and a couple hangings thrown in".

 My, my, what a prognosticator.  He must have foreseen the Obama campaign.