On my facebook page this morning...

[calimary]

34. And at ours as well!

I remember reading an Aaron Sorkin piece during Campaign 2008 in which he imagined that candidate Barack Obama went to visit former President Jed Bartlet at his New Hampshire farm. Bartlet took him to task for not being tougher on his opponents, and, in particular, denounced the dumbing-down of America and how many voters seem to gravitate toward candidates who are stupid and ill-informed, while we cut funding to schools, lay off teachers, and seek mainly to "teach to the test." And Bartlet advised Obama to stare 'em down and challenge the entire metastasizing sickness of aiming low and racing to the bottom - straight in the face. Put it to these people: "just what is it with you people - what do you have against excellence?"

GREAT question. Still not answered.