Who ever said politics was petty?

Many of my non-political friends tell me that they are turned off politics by how petty it is. Well I'm sure this article from Salon will change their minds (hat tip: Political Wire) . It highlights the good spirited policy led debate that is going on amongst those contesting the Republican Primary in my former stomping ground of South Carolina. Or not. This is after all the state that in 2000 brought Karl Rove's questionable sense of morality and (alleged) predilection for push polling to the world's attention.

The US primary system has many things to recommend it. For on thing given the heavy gerrymandering that goes on in many places it is only thing that keeps incumbents somewhere close to honest. However, I can't see how the year of public internecine warfare that both parties will have to endure in the run up to next springs presidential primaries can do anything other than turn off the average man in the street from the whole process.