Why I'm For Obama

Michelle Obama said something on Larry King the other night that really resonated with me. They were discussing the "that one" comment and the "what don't you know" question from the debate. She turned serious after a few quick quips and said, basically, Barack knows what he doesn't know and surrounds himself with those who can educate him. In other words he doesn't surround himself with "yes" men. That is important to me.

Realistically, neither candidate is going to be able to deliver all that they have promised. Even if times weren't so bad, campaign promises go only as far as Congress allows. So let's take that out of the equation. Being less than specific is political expedience. Both candidates practice it. Yes, it is frustrating when one wants specifics, but with today's political climate and constantly changing conditions, be it the economy or the wars, any specific statement would come back to haunt many times over. So they don't do it.

It's not because I'm a hard core Democrat. I am not. There are many policies Obama has put forth that I don't think he can deliver nor should. The same, however, holds true for McCain. When he states he'd have the government buy up the bad mortgages, it proves to me how little a grasp he has of the situation. Why? Because those mortgages have been split so many times between so many entities, no one knows exactly who has what. That's part of the problem. It's not as simplistic as McCain would have us believe.

I don't believe anyone is entitled to be President. McCain, to me, acts like he is. His superior attitude doesn't sit well with me as I watch him dither on policy. His choice of Sarah Palin stings like a slap in the face. Yes. I understand all the reasoning. I don't think it's valid if one is really putting "country" first.

Obama promised a different kind of campaign. Up until now he has kept his word. The depth of misinformation and fear mongering the McCain campaign has sunk to requires recourse and now the McCain campaign is shouting foul. Again, it does not sit well with me.

As for his associations; who among us at one time or another has not associated with someone, on some level, we could have done without? It's over and done with, in the distant past - or you didn't even realize it until after the fact, but if you're a public figure you're denied having a life with people in it. That's unrealistic.

His religion. He says he is not a Muslim. Why must that horse continue to be beaten? Even if he were, so what? Look how many of our athletes have become Muslims? Do you think they are out to over throw America? We have two Muslim Congressmen. Do you think they are intent on over throwing America? The people who elected them obviously do not. Why must a uniformed police officer have to insinuate the worst at a McCain/Palin rally? It's disgusting. And don't give me the free speech argument.

That Sarah Palin relates to the Joe Six-packs of America is great. I can almost hear the bubble gum pop when she talks. But I don't want Joe Six-pack for my President. I want one who can relate to more than the folks at the corner bar.

Many leaders from around the world have been educated in Great Britain - Oxford, Cambridge, Sandhurst. Those who have studied in this country have gone to Harvard, Yale or Princeton. I want our President to be able to relate on that level and to understand how they think and why they think the way they do. I'm tired of swagger, smirk and bullying. Condescension scares me.

I've said before we no longer get the best of the best running for public office for the very reason that is so evident today. Few want to put themselves or their families through the punishment. We're fortunate though. The cream of the African American/White community has risen to the top with Barack Obama. No longer are the race baiting rants of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton the foremost image of that segment of our society. Barack Obama is no self-anointed preacher. The worst I can say about him is he is a politician.

I am sure some aspects of this historical journey weigh heavily on him. Should he win he bears the burden of having to rise above expectations. He has done it before; I believe he will continue to do so. I believe he is an inspired leader, he resonates with the young, he is cool under pressure. That's not being elite. That's poise. That's what I want in our President. One who can stand shoulder to shoulder with the rest of the world. One who will not embarrass us. One who will listen. One who can articulate.

Our economy continues to tank, we're afraid for our futures, especially those of us who are no longer young and resilient. Just today the news talks of how the conflict in Afghanistan is worsening. That means more of our young men and women will perish. It is not a bright and sunny forecast.

I want in our President not the man who knows how to do it all as McCain claims he can, but the man who is willing to talk and listen and has the energy to tackle the multitude of problems facing us without illusion. I believe Barack Obama better fits this need and this is why I support him.

There is just too much of importance happening in the world to get caught up in the web of deceit.

A "Debate" Or Sound Bites?

Having skimmed the morning papers I see I have nothing new or surprising to add as far as my assessment of the debate is concerned. I will say I was extremely disappointed in both men's performance.

The first question set the tone. Allen Shaffer asked, "With the economy on the downturn and retired and older citizens and workers losing their incomes, what's the fastest, most positive solution to bail these people out of the economic ruin?"

Being a "retired and older" citizen myself I thought it a good question requiring a specific answer. Oh, well. I spent the next several minutes shouting at the TV, "Answer the question Obama! Answer the question Obama! Answer the question McCain!"

That's how the evening went. Not one question received a succinct answer. It was just an amalgamation of sound bites from stump speeches.

I will say McCain should be glad Obama declined more town hall meeting type encounters. He looked old and tired compared to an erect, youthful and poised opponent. His "my friends" mantra wore thin and his surliness didn't take long to surface.

Then the two men, who apparently don't much care for one another, started bickering like an old and not too happily married couple. Informative it was not.

I'm fortunate I won't be able to watch the third debate. What will I miss? More bickering and name calling and exaggeration of facts and misrepresentation of figures? Who needs it!

It just irritates me that two adult men running for the highest office in the land and one of the most powerful in the world have to stoop to what I watched last night to achieve it. How can we have a man of character leading our country when so much effort is put forth to destroy that character? Just what are we doing to ourselves?!

Editorial Endorsements Ought To At Least Get It Right!

Eastern Washington is heavily Republican as is all of Idaho, so it was no surprise this morning when I saw that the editorial board of the Spokesman Review
endorsed John McCain.

At best it was lukewarm, a dictate from management it would seem, but never-the-less some of the text was ridiculous. For instance it points out McCain's call for an increase in troops was indeed the correct call. What isn't mentioned is that General Eric Shinseki told the Senate back at the outset, according to the AP , that a successful postwar occupying force would have to be several hundred thousands in order to stave off ethnic tensions and other problems. Rumsfeld stuck with his lean and mean theory and Shinseki lost his job.

The editorial goes on to suggest that McCain's stand on torture will do a great deal toward re-endearing us to the rest of the world. According to the Washington Post he called water boarding "torture and illegal" yet voted against Democratic sponsored legislation that would have, indeed, banned it along with other coercive tactics used by the CIA. He voted with the minority. Fifty one Senators voted for the ban.

As for the likelihood he'd be more bi-partisan with the Democratic led Congress on economic issues facing the country, I'd rest better if I thought he actually understood them.

In conclusion it is suggested we need a leader who has proven leadership and that John McCain's is a matter of record. Right. He suspended his campaign, ran to Washington, after snubbing David Letterman in order to visit with Katie Couric, then ended up voting for what may be the largest pork laden bill in the history of the country. Doonesbury is keeping McCain's promise to make those names public. How About Gary Trudeau for President?

There is more, but you get the idea. One reason why I read a wide range of papers and magazines, ones that I can actually name, is so I can get beyond managerial prejudices.

There is more at stake here than the "vision thing", as Bush one liked to say. It has a lot to do with who has the vision and how it applies to the people of the country today and in the future. A seventy two year old man does not see the world through the eyes of our youth. Neither do I. Though I make an effort. I have young friends I stay in touch with, listen to and ask questions of. We think differently and we learn from one another.

I want to enjoy the time I have left as pleasantly as possible; the young have so much more at stake and they deserve a leader who understands that - and them.

I'd at least like to have a President that knows what a Blackberry is and can send his own e-mails!

Loose Lips And Fact Free

I'm tired of looking at pictures of Sarah Palin so when I saw this I thought it made a good metaphor. Old Navy man John McCain being the ship. Hahahahaaaa.

Yep. It's all beginning to get to me. I read Bill Crystal's pander to Palin in the New York Times and thought there she goes again!

Crystal was having a little chat with Sarah discussing among other things Obama's associations with Reverend Jeremiah Wright and William Ayers. Now, we knew Wright was going to be resurrected didn't we? Specifically he wanted to know if Wright wasn't in fact the bigger issue because of Obama's closer connection with him.

She had this to say:

"To tell you the truth, Bill, I don’t know why that association isn’t discussed more, because those were appalling things that that pastor had said about our great country, and to have sat in the pews for 20 years and listened to that — with, I don’t know, a sense of condoning it, I guess, because he didn’t get up and leave — to me, that does say something about character..."

Discussed more? Where were you during the primaries, honey? It was beaten to death and then some!

First, it was explained, ad nauseam, that Reverand Wright did not spend every single sermon lambasting America. And, by checking the dates of the offensive sermons against Obama's schedule found his claims that he was not present to be true.

Oh, I'm getting so weary of Ms. Palin playing catch up and in so doing not doing her homework. Attacking Obama's character can be treading on thin ice. There is the Keating Five issue with McCain now getting some play; there is his Brazilian hottie and the treatment of his first wife that are all ripe for exploitation.

As for Palin, it's out there honey - your alleged affair with your husband's one time business partner not to mention hubby's involvement with a secessionist group. If seceding from the United States isn't anti-American I don't know what is!

Oh yeah, it's all out there. The bloggers have been having a field day with it. The main stream press is beginning to pick it up. But don't blame them for gottcha journalism.

Gottcha!

McCain's Macaca Moment Compliments Of His Brother?

Remember when Virginia Senator George Allen was on the fast track to the Republican nomination? Then he tried to make a joke by referring to an East Indian supporter of fellow Senate candidate Jim Webb as "macaca".

Macaca translates a couple of ways. It could be referring to a monkey that lives in the Eastern Hemisphere or, as in some European cultures, it is considered a racial slur. Either way, it was demeaning to the young man and in spite of explanations that fell flat and apologies, Allen's Presidential hopes came crashing down around him.

Maybe the candidates and their surrogates ought to leave humor to the professionals at Saturday Night Live.

Though I do have to laugh at the lunacy that is going on around us.

John McCain's brother, Joe, while campaigning for John referred to the Democratic leaning counties in northern Virginia as "communist country". Do these guys ever think before they speak? Of course the campaign passed it off as his attempt at humor. I have no doubt that it was, but I'm wondering how the local Democrats like being equated with Communists!

If "lipstick on a pig" is always a referral to Sarah Palin and Obama is "pallin' around with terrorists" I guess this comment should not be blown out of proportion. McCain spokesperson Gail Gitcho passed it off with this, "John McCain and Sarah Palin are committed to winning the support of voters in Northern Virginia and understand the region's importance to victory statewide."

I know McCain/Palin are a pair of mavericks and I know negativity is supposed to be the most effective way of winning votes, but I have yet to understand the strategy of damning the opposition as a way to convince voters you are the best choice to lead the country! Especially if you need a portion of those opposition votes!