As in "President."
I haven’t written about the presidential debate and I’ll tell you why. First of all, I don’t want to turn this into a political blog. Secondly, it was boring. Blah blah blah. Nothing we haven’t heard before. Which was strange, considering how much things have changed since those campaign platforms were first stapled and thumb-tacked together.
After the debate, my friend Matt who is neither staunchly Republican nor Democrat said, “You know, I could see either one of those guys as President.” And I think he hit upon something. Both Senators McCain and Obama appear to be good, decent men who truly want to see America prosper. While there are the extremists out there of both party affiliations, I’d bet that most Americans just want to vote for whom they feel is the best man, regardless of which party he belongs to.
And they will do just that.
Early on, my boss and I made a $100 bet on who’s going to win. I said Obama, he said McCain. I said Obama because my gut feeling is that Americans are tired of the same old/same old and are in the mood for change. As time went on, I became less and less confident of my win. It seemed that McCain was the sure thing.
Then he picked his running mate.
Advantage: Obama.
Then Obama picked his running mate. And it wasn’t Hillary.
Advantage: Back to McCain.
Now they’re showing that Obama is leading in the polls by a fairly good margin (49 to 43, according to my Yahoo news page today). If he can maintain such a lead into the final week, Obama will probably win it. McCain has his work cut out for him.
What I suspect will happen is this. As the election draws closer, the smears against Obama will escalate. And judging from the sudden surge (no pun intended) of spam emails that are flooding my inbox, it’s started already. McCain will distance himself from them, of course. But unlike the campaign against John Kerry, this time it will backfire as Americans are tired of that type of politics.
Still, am I any more certain of receiving a crisp, new $100 bill in a month? Not at all, not at all.
Who Am I?
- Bob Barbanes:
- A nobody; a nitwit; a pilot; a motorcyclist; a raconteur; a lover...of life - who loves to laugh, who tries to not take myself (or anything) too seriously...just a normal guy who knows his place in the universe by being in touch with my spiritual side. What more is there?
11 comments:
My only disagreement with this post is I really don't think either of them will make a GOOD President.
I'm Republican and voted for Clinton 2nd term. I liked the balance of power between him and Congress.
All Repubs during Bush fell apart.
All Dems in power if Obama wins... I think no better.
Balance of power is important, I think.
So much for keeping the blog outa politics... ;-)
kman
I think you will get your $100 bill.
I think they are both decent guys, too, who have fallen into the trap of going negative because, unfortunately, that's "just politics."
The historical cycle suggests that it's time for the pendulum to swing back to the Dems' side.
Yes, both men have at time appeared Presidential, and that's a relief.
I'll be missing this week's debate to go see a renowned physicist give a speech about Einstein's legacy. Priorities...
:)
I can understand why Dem/Libs are voting for Obama.
I would appreciate if an *Independent* voter would explain why they might be comfortable considering a Candidate who started his career in William Ayers' living room. Who sat in Rev Wright's Church for 20 years and said he had no idea about the Rev's radical outlook. Who struck a real estate deal with the Serian-born, Rezko, who is now locked up in prison. Who was part of ACORN.
Vote Obama in and the influence of these associations will surface folks, no doubt.
kman
I can understand why Dem/Libs are voting for Obama.
I would appreciate if an *Independent* voter would explain why they might be comfortable considering a Candidate who started his career in William Ayers' living room. Who sat in Rev Wright's Church for 20 years and said he had no idea about the Rev's radical outlook. Who struck a real estate deal with the Serian-born, Rezko, who is now locked up in prison. Who was part of ACORN.
Vote Obama in and the influence of these associations will surface folks, no doubt.
kman
I'm a first time voter Kman. Never understood what the whole liberal vs conservative debate was all about and after paying attention these last six months I kinda get it now but I think it's stupid. People are people. Some of us will lean conservative on some issues and liberal on others. Left and right wingers are irritating because they're dogmatic by nature. Anyway, there are many *Republicans* who will be voting *Democrat* this year and I understand why.
Ayers is sure to come up in the next debate. The GOP operatives have been trying to advance the idea that Obama has been *palling* around with terrorists and trying to make some connection that he *is* a terrorist. Well what about those who *fund* terrorists? How do you explain Republicans Walter and Leonora Annenberg giving this Bill Ayers $50 million?
These smears are distractions kman. Our country is burning. We have have real sh*t to talk about and important decisions to make. Obama is a decent and competent man who happens to be a *ruthless* politician. But maybe that's what we need right now.
"Barack is a decent person that you do not have to be scared of as president of the United States"-John McCain
Welcome to the world of politics, Rodolfo. :-)
Associating Obama with Ayer's is about how radical Obama is rather than suggesting he's a terrorist.
Ayers and Obama are into Saul Alinsky's ideology. If you're OK with that, then vote - Obama. If not, then start thinking.
"Obama's a ruthless politician... "
(Oh, well, then he gets my vote!)
Walter and Leonora AREN'T running for PRESIDENT.
Finally, VERY DUMB statement by McCain. ( I'm not afraid to beat up on my Candidate when necessary)
kman
kman-Radical? For being a community organizer? I don't get it. Don't community organizers try to get kids off drugs?
Nobody condones Ayers acts in the 60s. But let's have a thought experiment for second. Name one prominent political figure in Chicago who *doesn't* have ties to Bill Ayers. If you can find anyone whose hands are clean then maybe you have a real argument.
Do you really want to go there kman? Then why the silence on your team's associations and shenanigans? McCain forced the FEDS to investigate him in the 80s while Palin forced her own state to investigate her. A Republican led inquiry team recently found she behaved unethically with the firing of her top police chief.
What you have against Obama are nothing more than guilt-by-association. Meanwhile any objective observer can link McCain and Palin to guilt-by-guilt.
Obama is ruthless but I believe his motives are pure. All effective politicians have to be ruthless in order to get elected. Obama hasn't been completely fair. His ads calling McCain *erratic* is ageism but that's nothing compared to the attacks that have been levied by your team.
If this is politics then maybe this will be the only and last time I'm gonna care. We treat it as some type of bloodsport. Like some mixed martial arts olympics that comes around every four years. Granted there have been worse mud slinging in our nation's past but can we really afford to resort to this pettiness this time around. The issues are too serious.
I think the attacks and mud-slinging are good for the politicians. Toughens them up for when they have to deal with some of the real crazies in this world.
What silence??
Hey, by the way, check out what Democrat Bob Bennett, the attorney hired by the Senate Ethics Committee as Special Counsel to lead the Keating investigation, had to say during a recent talk radio interview. I actually heard it live then found this site:
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/seton-motley/2008/10/07/mark-levin-interviews-bob-bennett-bennett-deconstructs-media-myth-rega
In any event, Rodolfo, chin up. Be happy to be in a country that allows you to be outspoken and to be able to vote for the candidate of your choice. At least it's that way pre-Obama... just kidding!
Now, it's on to the debates!
kman
kman-mark levin? I heard this guy on radio and he's toxic. Like michael savage. Very hateful and counter-productive if you ask me. And definitely not a source for journalism. Our favorite helicopter pilot provides better insight than these guys.
I'm thankful kman. Thanks for the reminder. But this isn't about me.
Never mind Levin, I hope you read what Bob Bennett said about McCain, that's all.
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