Sunday, December 02, 2007

Does Character No Longer Matter?

As is probably true for most of you, I've long been bemoaning the length of the political debate this Presidential cycle. Maybe it isn't all bad. As time tightens, and the campaigning is getting less than high minded, the true character of the candidates is beginning to seep through a few unnoticed fissures in their armor!

What puzzles me, however, is how some of them have gotten this far in the first place. Maybe I had an inside track on both Rudy and Hillary, having lived in New York state while both held office. Feelings for both were divided and strong.

Take Rudy. Too many New Yorkers visibly winced with all the America's mayor bit. You see more of the truth of that coming out now. But the character issue. What he did to his second wife by asking for a divorce at a news conference should have put him out of the running right then and there. The Bernie Kerik issue stands on its own as to what he considers character in his associates. And to say he needed his security detail while he liaised with his lover, and now wife, for protection from mob types is laughable. What the heck was Kerik? And he's a Catholic to boot. Three times married...never mind; you get the drift.

And Hillary. She didn't leave tips when she campaigned in New York either. I've waxed prophetic on her often enough, but I still have issues with all this "experience" she supposedly has. Saying she was the de facto national security advisor to Bill during his administration scares the bejabbers out of me. Where did she get credentials for that? And how well she handled the hostage crisis in New Hampshire is bunk. She wasn't even there!

Mitt. The pro choice, pro gay governor who is now the anti choice, anti gay Presidential candidate.

McCain the life long Episcopalian now a devote Baptist.

Huckabee. If we're worried about Romney's Mormonism why aren't we worried about a Baptist Minister who wants to overturn Roe v. Wade, and have a constitutional amendment against gay marriage?

Wow. Obama isn't black enough. He's too young. He's too inexperienced.

Edwards gets $400 haircuts.

You know the one candidate who has actually put forward some position papers? Fred Thompson. The actor. I figure he knows at least one definition of character!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I had to chuckle this morning. A news article stated that the snow storms in the Midwest (they should be here) halted the campaigning. Do you think perhaps God is telling them something??

Word Tosser said...

Great post..DM...
I couldn't get it either, and I didn't live in N.Y. But before 9/11no one in NY liked the guy. So why now? The 9/11 was done by his people not him.

I don't give Thompson good points either, tho... he was too wishy washy when in Congress and then as a Lobbist he was what ever or who ever had the most money, wanted. I think too many people think he is the guy like he played on the tv show.

So far...no prize winners here.

Mari Meehan said...

Word tosser, Don't mistake pointing out that Thompson has put out some position papers as an endorsement! Just an item to note.

Anonymous said...

The thing with political choices is that it often boils down to choosing the one that you dislike the LEAST.