Is anybody out there as confounded as I am with the current presidential race? I keep seeing poll data released that shows the two candidates as reasonably close, or with “McCain making gains” in key states.
What, if anything, would endear anybody to vote for John McCain at this point? He has issued no credible plans that reasemble any kind of departure fom the current policies of George W. Bush.
Furthermore, he has started to sound more and more incoherent, bringing him even more in alignment with the unintelligable Gerige W. Is this a campaign stategy? It worked for him once, twice actually. Is McCain trying to become more like the common man? I can recall hearing over and over how Bush was attractive to the “common man” because he spoke like them.
Do we really want a “common man” in the White House? Don’t we want someone with a high level of intelligence running our country? Isn’t that more important than sounding like you just left the corner bar?
Since when did it become a bad thing to have an intelligent president?
Or perhaps it is McCain’s age that has led him to his repeated gaffes. (Gaffe will undoubtably be one of this years most overused words.) Maybe his mind is finally starting to go. I’ve always considered him to be a smart guy, well-spoken and focused; but that seems to be going. Is it strategy, or is it senility?
And all this takes me back around to: Why, in all that is great and good in this country is this still considered a race for the White House?
Obama is intelligent, he is a great orator, he has some vision of the future, he’s not George W. Bush, he has the ability to inspire.
Should we trust him? No. Should we trust any politician? No.
But what we should consider about ur politicians is their intelligence and ability look ahead, something which has seriously been lacking, and their willingness to listen, be open and accountable to the public. Since before 9-11, Bush’s administration has had a secretive, industry only access policy. When we asked about events after 9-11, the mantra was “trust us.”
No, I don’t want to vote every 4 years and then trust a politiician. I want to wake up everyday and take part in our democracy. It is my right, and my responsibility as a citizen.
Perhaps it is because Obama is black? I wonder how many people are afraid to vote for him due to that deeply buried feeling.
Anybody out there want to enlighten me? I’m confused, and more than a little concerned.
I’ll vote McCain on character if nothing else.
I voted for Obama for Illinois Senator and he turned around and endorsed the worst in Illinois Politics after we elected him. What a disgrace that was… on top of his dumb fatherhood lectures which is the last thing I need from my Senator.
Check Mike Van Winkle for aonther disgruntled Chicagoan who lays it out here. Can’t paste the link but check him over at my blog. Get to know Obama as we have in Illinois and you realize he’s a phoney.
You got me there: I first thought you were referring to the UUA election for president! Actually, there almost hadn’t been a contest until Peter Morales decided not to make this an uncontested event.
I may be forgiven: I’ve created a website to compare the two candidates, Laurel Hallman and Peter Morales, so I’m preoccupied. It’s designed as a neutral domain which simply puts them side by side, starting with the June 28 candidate forum at GA, and leaves all commentary to the audience. I hope you’ll check it out and chime in. (The most recent post features the question on the role of international work for the UUA, so go back for earlier questions and the opening statements).
http://uuapresidentialdebate2009.wordpress.com
Martin Voelker
Easy answer- as compelling a speaker as he is, Senator Obama has none of the qualifications historically considered for a President. To begin with, he has never held an executive position. People know that being the boss is different from any other experience, and all Presidents thus far have held military command, or a governorship, or been a captain of industry, or a combination of those things. The only President ever elected directly from the Senate- JFK- had commanded a ship in the Navy. Obama has done none of these things, and many believe that POTUS is not an entry level position.
Even for a Senator, he is not particularly experienced- he has only one full term under his belt. Quick, name three major initiatives that he wrote and pushed through to become national policy. Would you take an employee with only six years experience and make him CEO?
Coming from the legislature is not a big winner right now- the only body with lower ratings than Bush is Congress. Some people are noting that it has been years now since the Democrats took both houses, and they’ve not tried to overturn vetoes, they haven’t gotten us out of Iraq as they campaigned on. People have learned that running against Bush is merely an emotional appeal that doesn’t really mean anything.
Those few policies he has been specific on are nothing new or Earth-shattering, just the smae old same old the party has been pushing for years. Even some of his supporters expect no true change- they merely prefer this suit to the old suit.
The choice here is untested potential vs well proven mediocrity. The question is, do we feel like gambling? Most people are risk-averse; they don’t like to gamble. On the other hand, they’re feeling desparate… no wonder the polls are close.
A Native American elder once described his own inner struggles in this manner: Inside of me there are two dogs. One of the dogs is mean and evil. The other dog is good. The mean dog fights the good dog all the time. When asked which dog wins, he reflectedGeorgeBernardShawGeorge Bernard Shaw
Okay. Okay. You have to stop using “Obama” and “Change” in the same breath. I’m begging. Because when I hear that, I get shooting pains through my arms and I begin to sweat in places I didn’t know existed. Needless to say, I’m getting concerned about my health.
I live in Cook County, Illinois, see, and we knew Obama long before he was a tingle in Chris Matthews’ leg. You may have heard of Cook County; it is home to Chicago. And of course, Chicago isn’t known for its inspirational politics. Charles Merriam famously called it “the only completely corrupt city in America.”
So the notion that a politician cut from the machine of Illinois politics, and specifically Chicago politics, could “change” American politics is frankly … well … absurd. And yet half this country has bought into that very idea.
The link to Michael Van Winkle’s column in Examiner.Com Chicago. He sums up Obama perfectly for me.
I agree with you, Thane…it’s absurd to think we can trust any politician but at this point, with our struggling economy, our dirty air & reckless abuse of energy, the fact that the Republican Administration promotes wealth over safety/ecology, and 8 years of living in fear that’s been beaten into us by Rove & Cheney, I am looking for something different.
McCain seems to have no ability to pretend he understands the plight of the common person. I see no hope for our nation if we have to endure more of the current agenda (my perceived notion of the political agenda is long & tiresome). Foreign policy that aims at peace seems to have disappeared—we fight and threaten rather than talk and negotiate. I don’t see McCain changing on those issues.
A two party system really doesn’t seem to promote a democracy but for now, it’s all we have. I’ll support Obama and his idealism rather than live in fear for another 4 years. I want my daughter to live in a world that aspires to create peace, a world where the common person feels he/she CAN make a difference.
As an educator who truly believes that education is the key to freedom & choices, I’m disgusted that our education budgets are cut and our children suffer as we allow legislatures to tell us how children should ‘learn’. We’re busy teaching them to pass a test (or are we really just keeping our children ‘busy’ so they can’t think for themselves?), not “learn”. Instead of funding our schools, we’re funding a war that can’t be ‘won’. We’ve already lost: 4124 troops will never come home to their families. It’s time to let our troops come home to their own families.
For me, their is no confusion. I’m tired of what we have, I see NO change if McCain wins this race, and I’m hopeful that Obama will inspire individudals to get involved. Most people I talk with about politics don’t see themselves as being able to make a difference so they ‘drop out’. That’s because we’ve been indoctrined in fear and helplessness for the past 8 years. Obama inspires people to pay attention, to ask questions, and to join others to create change in their small communities. We need that inspiration if we want to retain hope.
How can we NOT vote for change?
Read Nick Cohen in The Observer.
It’s going to be a big reality check for Liberals if Obama wins. We’ll see if those who bashed Bush so bitterly are going to be up for it.
Bill,
It would seem things can’t get any worse since in Bush’s term we’ve:
– been attacked by terrorists
– seen record deficits
– seen the divide between the rich and poor grow
– started a war (find another president in history you can say that about)
– our economy is in shambles
– seen one of our major cities devastated by a natural disaster
– occupied another country without any plan for leaving (maybe because he never planned to in the first place)
I could go on, but I think the point is made. In any case, what exactly has Bush left undone for Obama to wreck. I don’t see a whole lot left, unless you are rich. And white. And probably male.
All that aside, you’ve referred to articles against Obama, but haven’t made a case for McCain. McCain’s character dissolves daily under the weight of his desire to be president. Based upon what you’ve said about Obama, he and McCain would have that in common.
So, is there a 3rd party candidate you feel is viable?