Politicians like to make politics personal, because inflamed indignation allows them to skirt past serious questions about their representative performance. As citizens, it is up to us to keep it professional.

Let me state that again. Politicians, despite their protests, like for politics to be intensely personal.

It’s why their campaign materials lead with an emphasis on their spouses and offspring, rather than the tasks they will accomplish. They call it “introducing themselves,” but it’s really all about personalizing their political brand.