Obama or McCain?

OK....I know I am risking a lot by even mentioning the names of the Presidential Candidates but I am interested in being a part of the wealth of knowledge I know moms can bring to a forum such as this. A forum like this, when used responsibly for gathering information, can be a fantastic way to inform and educate. I know I am even MORE risky to tell you that I can't stand the whole political thing. I am not a dunce, I know it is of the utmost importance for people to vote, so please don't leave me comments about how un-American I am if I am not jumping out of my skin and throwing on my red-white-and-blue lipstick on voting day. I think my reservations lie in respecting grown men (and women in 2008's case) who play the mud-slinging game for months before the election. Why can't the candidates simply state their qualifications? Why must they take the "Oh, yeah? Well guess what HE did?" stance...at a podium....for the whole country to see? Are they embarrassed later when they watch the out takes? I just don't get it. When I watch the debates, I don't see grown men, I see little kids dressed up like grown men and it makes me so angry. Our schools want us to let our children watch so they will learn how to be informed voters when they are of age. But when my 10 & 11 year olds say, "Mom, if we said bad things about someone TO THEIR FACE the way they do, you would ground us." what is my answer to them? "You bet your BIPPY I would!" Maybe it is the teacher in me. Maybe I have seen, one too many times, the way a group of high school kids handle an Student Government election without ANY mud-slinging. These 16 and 17 year olds who are asked to handle themselves like adults (and apparently NOT like politicians) put on a beautiful example of people I WOULD VOTE FOR. They are mature and responsible in word and action. Should we have candidates take a class prior to The Race? I am curious what our opinions would be if we could not SEE the candidates or hear their voices. If Americans just got a list of information regarding their platform, their "yeas" and "nays," their expertise, their experience and of course their (lack of) criminal record. Would we feel differently? Would we SEE them differently? Would we vote differently? I will vote. I know WHO I am voting for and WHY. I just wish I had the respect for the adult candidates that I had for high school ones. Please feel free to GIVE INFORMATION about candidates below. NO MUD-SLINGING or NAME-CALLING! If possible, please leave a link to your source.