If Google doesn’t lie, then we as Americans care more about seeing Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan shirtless than reading about his stance on a balanced budget. They also care about kind of underwear Mitt Romney wears rather than how he’s faring in the polls.

According to Google, there’s also an inordinate number of searches linking President Obama and racial slurs, and former governor Mitt Romney to his christened name, Willard.

What are people thinking when they search the web? Beats me.

But according to a tally of searches via Google, especially around this time of year, it veers pretty far afield from what you might think and it runs the gamut. Quirks, little known facts, bits of information to inflame or entertain–in short, the stuff that gossip is made of is what we care about. Some says it trivializes the presidential election at a time when quite the opposite should be happening.

For example, in a recent poll of adult entertainment workers, President Obama is favored over Mitt Romney. But here’s the kicker: 68 percent to 13 percent. What? Or should that be, why? Well, apparently people who work in porn thing the president is more attractive.

See what I mean about trivializing.