By Lou Aronson

Lots of chatter has filled the airwaves and op-ed pages lately on Mayor Cory Booker and whether his statements regarding the attack by President Obama on Mitt Romney’s tenure at Bain Capital are appropriate. Kathleen Parker raised the issue in the context of truth versus problem solving.  Then Eugene Robinson raised the issue of Romney’s attack’s on Obama’s spending record by flat out calling Mr. Romney a liar who changes the facts to fit his position.

Lets get real. It is campaign season and we are now entering the summer months when two men will fight tooth and nail for the position of the most powerful man in the world (as opposed the most interesting man in the world…who by the way prefers Dos Equis, of course if he did want to throw his hat in the presidential ring he’d need something stronger).  It is politics people. Everything is fair game.  One would hope that through it all a sense of dignity, perspective and intellectual honesty prevails. It probably will not because the campaign is more often about theater.  Unfortunately for the Democrats, the director of this play, President Obama, has a few actors who like to improvise.

Most notable among these ad-libbers is Bill Clinton, who was never one to pick a fight with business, and has been at odds with Obama in the news. What’s interesting is that Clinton is actually positioned to the president’s left philosophically. Of course it never plays that way it is in the press.     

We applaud politicians like Mr. Booker who stood up for context even if he has been largely benefited by contributions from private equity businessmen.  For Mr. Booker asked both parties and candidates to focus on the issues and problems confronting most Americans today.  This plea for sobriety and seriousness will be answered if and only if we, as voters, demand such from our politicians. And, this is where the rubber meets the road. Do we as voters want theater or well thought out debate that advances the ball for all.  We can only hope that it’s the latter…