Unlike France, where there is a strongly held view that a candidate's private life is his own business, his/her character is often of the essence in the US.  Thus Elliot Spitzer had to resign as New York Governor for engaging a call girl service without almost no consideration of the key role he has been playing in exposing corporate malpractice in Wall Street.  Surely the most important current issue in that state.

The debate about the Presidential candidates - McCain, Clinton and Obama almost always revolves around their personal qualities rather than around their policies and party/business/political affiliations and the interests they represent.  Part of this is a media creation - it is very hard to interview an abstract concept like an "interest" and most people are bored by the minutae of policy debates.

The personal hatred and vitriol which accompanies "political" debates on US blogs and media is quite shocking to an outsider more used to the concept that people are people and what matters is policy, allegiances and competence.

I also can't help feeling that a lot of this has to do with the very individualistic form of religion which has evolved in the US where it is all about having a personal Saviour and about your personal responsibility and moral probity - as if all else follows from that.  Thus Bush was really only doing God's work...

"It's a mystery to me - the game commences, For the usual fee - plus expenses, Confidential information - it's in my diary..."