Mule Race

I’ve been reading Mark Twain’s Life on the Mississippi.  I found his description of a mule race to have an uncanny resemblance to this year’s presidential race:

There were thirteen mules in the first heat; all sorts of mules, they were; all sorts of complexions, gaits, dispositions, aspects. Some were handsome creatures, some were not; some were sleek, some hadn’t had their fur brushed lately; some were innocently gay and frisky; some were full of malice and all unrighteousness; guessing from looks, some of them thought the matter on hand was war, some thought it was a lark, the rest took it for a religious occasion.  And each mule acted according to his convictions.  The result was an absence of harmony well compensated by a conspicuous presence of variety – variety of a picturesque and entertaining sort.

The election is a topic at the high school, as we discussed recently at dinner:

Son:  We talked about the election today in history class.

Husband:  Which election?

Son:  The One Election to Rule Them All... 

I read the Mark Twain quote to my son, who astutely remarked that if it was truly to apply to this year's election, it would need some elephants in it.

The candidates do speak as if it is the One Election to Rule Them All, as if we are all heading toward Mount Doom.  I think it is just a mule race, but unlike Mark Twain's mule race, getting less entertaining by the minute.  I am looking forward to November, when it will be over.