It will all be over soon.

No more following campaign trails. No more watching the polls. No more debates. No more billboards and signs on front lawns

And windows.

We will no longer be subjected to all the hype around Barbara’a cookies or Ross’s “I’m in, I’m out” game. No more talk shows bashing each other’s opponents.

And who do we have to thank for keeping us abreast of the goings-on of our soon-to-be leaders? None other than the media—what George Bush wants the voters to annoy.

Bush has coined his favorite phrase “Annoy the media—re-elect Bush” on a bumper sticker and has used it a few times throughout his campaign.

Being a media person myself, I take a lot of slack from probably what most would consider to be one of the most hated professions.

Actually, someone told me once that if “we” didn’t watch our step we were going to be right up there with the lawyers.

So, I thought about what Bush said and tried to put myself in his shoes.

According to the polls conducted by the various media, he seems to be in somewhat of a fizzled state. For a while there, it looked like he didn’t stand a chance.

However, current polls say he is gaining and could pull it out. Now you don’t hear him talking about his new saying anymore. Hmmmmmmm!!!

It causes me to think about his motives. Let’s think about where we would be in this election without the media, shall we?

We can ignore the extra hype. I’ll admit reporters have no business butting into personal things, like wives, mistresses, children … I think we can do without that kind of stuff.

However, things like defense budgets, education or crime are important. How would we get the message out? How could we fairly decide in a democratic manner who will lead us into the future?

The media has made some mistakes in the past that it is being blamed for time and time again. Who doesn’t make some mistakes somewhere down the line?

Why is it so hard for everyone to try and look beyond those times when the media wasn’t 100 percent accurate? I don’t think it’s as simple as “forgive and forget,” but many times I don’t think people give the media a fair shot. I think some people have preconceived notions about its objectivity before they are even exposed.

For what it’s worth, I think the newspapers, TV and radio have done fine jobs in covering the three major candidates fairly and objectively.

Considering its reputation while covering political races in the past, there was hardly a time when I thought they were being unfair or unjust to any of the candidates.

More importantly though, all you registered voters out there should be aware that mistakes can be made and you need to somehow find out for yourself what the real truth is.

Let it be a lesson for those voters who accepted everything the media dished out during this campaign.

The old saying “you can’t believe everything you read” still stands, but just remember that we always try our best.