Let's think about the personal characteristics of the candidates that mean something to the last-minute deciders who seem to have the 2012 election in their hands.

Last-minute election deciders don't have the benefit of long-term political junkies, who follow the issues all year, every year. They can't tell when a candidate is lying, because they weren't paying attention to what he or she said a year ago, or even last month in a different location.

Some politicians rely on this shallow knowledge phenomenon. Shallow knowledge is the nature of a candidate like Bobby Schilling, who can't talk in depth about any issue. He relies on his "nice guy" image. It's the Republican con game, to convince voters that their hidden agenda of selfishness and greed for the benefit of the few lucky ones will be good for the country.

It won't. Cheri Bustos is a smarter choice, with her solid Democratic value that all the people in the country are important, not just the affluent.
Mitt Romney is the same story. He can appear to be firm and decisive, but people who have followed his career know he has a weak and tenuous relationship with the truth.

His business career showed a lack of morals and integrity, as he managed hedge funds that bounced companies into the garbage and around the world, throwing out workers for the sake of his personal profit.

Barack Obama is among the best presidents America has produced.

Margaret Thomas,
Rock Island