This presidential election has been nothing if not passionate. The letters, phone calls and Web comments have been pouring in to The Tidewater News and some of them, quite honestly, have been disturbing personal attacks against both candidates. Yes, we get it. A person’s past, especially when it comes to how that past might affect future governing decisions, is important. But, let’s not let smear tactics get in the way of debating the real challenges our country faces.