"People used to complain that selling a president was like selling a bar of soap. But when you buy soap, at least you get the soap. In this campaign you just get two guys telling you they really value cleanliness"

This quote by David Brooks is a commentary on the state of contemporary politics. He is recommending that the present political system is broken, and that the public is not getting what they are worthy of. He is comparing the procedure of choosing a president to buying a bar of soap, implying that when you purchase soap, you get the item you spent for. However, when it pertains to choosing a president, all you get are two prospects informing you they value the same things. This indicates that the prospects are not offering any real services or tangible outcomes, which the public is not getting what they should have. Brooks is recommending that the existing political system is broken which the public is not getting what they are worthy of.