While I will vote for Democratic nominee Barack Obama and my informed conservative friends will vote for McCain because we understand that each will try to advance policies and political ideas that are consistent with our policy and ideological preferences, the voters who are the primary targets of each presidential campaign see the race VERY differently. Neither campaign is wasting much effort trying to woo informed voters, voters who both understand their own preferences and the ideological and institutional realities of governing. Instead, their efforts are focused like a laser beam on the so-called "swing voters." These are folks who do not know which candidate they will vote for in November. While it is impossible and inappropriate to paint this entire voting bloc with one brush, it is fair to say that the most impressionable among them (i.e. the low hanging fruit) lack substantive knowledge about government and politics. It is also clear that in an age of very close presidential elections that winning this group can make the difference. These are the folks who are featured on late night segments like Jay Leno's "Jay-walking." They cannot name their congressman nor do they have a conscious understanding of their own political interests.
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