Even McCain Will Be Voting Obama

This political blog post at the L.A. Times discusses the McCain campaign's "humorous" attempt to compare Barak Obama to the "original celebrity" in their latest TV ad. I...uh...I'm a little perplexed.






Is John McCain trying to get Obama elected? Sure, the spot is slightly humorous and tongue and cheek...it's not really offensive. The whole spot, however, kind of paints Barak in a good light (no pun intended.) It showcases his vision, his conviction that we the people are the change this country needs (some would call the ability to communicate that so clearly "leadership"), and his own sense of humor. After a spot that doesn't say a whole lot of anything favorable about John McCain (or much of anything particularly negative against Barak Obama) the final few seconds conclude with "Barak Obama may be the one...but is he ready to lead?"

Well, it's menacing...uh...I think...but lets look at "the facts on the ground", shall we?

John McCain seems unable to inspire people around him.
John McCain is not being received and respected by world leaders for his message and ideology.
John McCain 2008 is not the John McCain of 2000.
John McCain is waffling on issues.
John McCain is barely discussing issues anymore.
John McCain accuses Barak of waiting too long to go abroad, then when Obama does go abroad, he accuses Obama of grandstanding.
John McCain is fighting dirty.

I'm really disappointed. I like the guy. He has some gaping flaws, sure. In fact, I'd be surprised if those flaws don't affect the voter turnout of the moral right. His divorce, the Savings and Loan scandal, and (if you're religious) his somewhat vague spiritual compass.

McCain, who I think stood up as best he could when captured by the Vietnamese, became the Republican for the environment. He's the guy who struggled for campaign finance reform. He opposed torture. He reached across the aisle to put forth bi-partisan proposals in the spirit of comprimise and doing what's best for the country. Remember his temper? I like his temper. He had spirit. Fire. He was rational and when someone would say something stupid, he'd fight back.

This is not the John McCain who is running for president in 2008. Whither the maverick? The Independent? The man who stood not on the right, nor on the left, but wherever was the most reasonable place to stand? Something strange is going on here.

Either a) he's completely lost his ability to cope, in which case I don't want him as president, b) his campaign staff are driving this thing and they are dreadful at it, or c) he's trying to get Obama elected.

Look, the Republican base is gonna come out and vote for McCain because they are ideologues who believe their football team must win at all costs (the Democrats have a similar fanatical base who will do the same for Obama), but even then, some of those Republican voters may just not bother this year. McCain is not an inspiring character anymore. I'm not hearing straight-talk, and I don't think most anyone else is either. The endless anti-Obama rants of McCain supporters would be coming from that sector regardless of who was running for which party.

Obama is no saint. I think he is manipulative. I think he's clever. I think he's made a strategic decision not to debate John McCain so early because he's trying to avoid early gaffs that would hang on him for the remainder of the campaign (all politicians make gaffs) but I think that's an unfortunate affront to our democracy. I think Obama should have visited Iraq and Afganistan a lot sooner.

Other people have other gripes. Obama the Muslim. McCain - not a real war hero. Flag pins. Vitriolic pastors and campaigners (on both sides) spouting ludicrous things. These are things taken out of context, or attributed to people not repsonsible for them. Obama is not a muslim (though if he's honest about the campaign he's running, I don't think that should matter one way or the other.) McCain is a war hero. Under duress, he may not have been a Hollywood hero, but he did the right thing at the right time, and he accepted those consequences. Did he ever crack under the pressure? Who knows...he stuck to his guns, though, as well as any human could. Flag pins? Really? Obama wears a flag pin all the time. He wore them before the campaign. He's worn them since. The one time he didn't wear one and they tried to make a big deal out of it, he merely stated that symbols alone don't make you a patriotic American. Actions do. He's right. Imagine you're a Christian. Is just believing enough? Carrying around crosses? Or should you maybe consider some charity to the beggar on the street. Volunteer to help the homeless and those you might consider "dirty sinners." Maybe give a damn about the poor instead of always believing that they're too lazy to work...many of them are working...two jobs...just to stay afloat.

I digress.

McCain is not talking about himself. He's not talking about his campaign. He's not talking about the issues. Not really. He flirts with it from time to time, but he's taking a very old school approach to trying to get elected, and it's failing.

In 2000, this would have upset me greatly, but that was a different McCain back then. A fighter. A man who seemed to be able to deliver words from the heart and mind. A man willing to comprimise to get the job done, but not at the expense of those values we hold dear. That was a man I would have trusted with the solution to the 9/11 attacks.

In 2008, McCain is feeble. He seems to be at the mercy of puppetmasters, and ones less "able" than those that drove the Bush campain into office eight years ago. He is a flip-flopper. He doesn't seem to stand for anything. He is unwilling to discuss comprimise, even if he keeps changing his positions. Worst of all, the straight talk express isn't talking straight. They are fighting dirty. They are confusing a political campaign for a football game.

Is Obama the one? He's a finer candidate than his rival, that's for sure. And I think he's sincere. I've read his book. I've heard him talk. For the most part he's consistent. I think he wants to break the old cycle of politics. He's respected. He's smart. Yes, he is playing a sly, strategic hand in this election, but isn't that what we want out of a president? Someone who can assess the options and keep control of the situation?

Well, I'm voting for Obama this year. You might consider it. I think McCain will be voting for Barak Obama, too.