Reading recent headlines relating to the US presidential race I can't help but wonder, is the internet helping to create a new generation of educated voters or are there just more people being brainwashed than before the internet existed..

If you've seen the news, visited Youtube or just had a chat with a co-worker at the water cooler, you've likely heard about the recent bout of negative campaign ads. From what I've gathered McCain apparently would have you belive that Barack Obama is responsible for gas prices quadrupling over recent years. .. now hopefully anyone with a brain can see that is patently false.

Obama, taking a slightly less blatant approach would have you believe that McCain has done nothing during his time as senator.  Obviously that can't be entirely accurate either.

As most news sources are quick to point out, negative campaign ads are nothing new, but perhaps this is the first presidential campaign where the effects will be so widespread, due to more and more poeple using sites like YouTube, MySpace and the other more popular social oriented websites. But my question remains. Will the ads have the impact their creators intended? Will the public see them for the embelishments they are, or is everyone just numbed and dumbed by the continual bombardment of video and sound bites?

Just my personal opinion, but I think this recent bout of negative campaign ads are having the exact opposite effect their creators intended. McCain's approach to me seems to be a mixture of convenient ommissions of the facts and bald face lies..  "Obama hasn't visited Iraq in years".. um, yes 50 months does indeed warrent the use of a pluralized "year". To imply he has something to do with the increasing fuel costs borders on idiocy at best, and deception at worst.

To be fair, as much as I am able, Obama has taken a few swipes at McCain, but to his credit, it would actually take some research to prove or disprove his assertions. .. yet I still can't help but wonder is McCain throwing in the towel without actually cancelling his run for the presidency, or do they really think the public will be swayed but such obvious false claims?

Time will tell I suppose.