Some Think It's About Issues. Some Think It's About Personalities. I Think It's About Judgment.

There's been a lot of mud slinging recently between the two presidential candidacies. While John McCain makes all the effort he can to divert the focus from the issues to personalities, Barak Obama keeps trying to bring the focus back to the issues. Meanwhile, there's one thing that keeps evading the analysis of all the talking heads - what's really most important here is the issue of judgment. Of the two candidates, who has demonstrated the most prudent judgment? That's the guy I want running my country.

The Veep

Here's where we come to the issue of the selection of their Vice Presidential running mates. Barak Obama chose a vetted, experienced, United States Senator who can help him govern once he's in office. Obama chose someone whom no one can question whether he's ready to step into the most important job on Earth. No one can question if Joe Biden understands the complexities of our country and foreign policy. He's chairman of the Foreign Relations committee. Granted, he's not the Democrat's first choice, but he's certainly an acceptable selection for second choice. While many of Hillary's supporters were disappointed, the Democrats understand that it was solely Barak Obama's decision to make, and he chose the person with whom he felt most comfortable.

John McCain, on the other hand, chose someone who clearly has no experience in either foreign or domestic policy. He chose a self-described "hockey-mom" who believes in creationism, book-banning, diminishing gun safety laws, abolishing reproductive choice, drilling in ANWR, abstinence-only education, deception & distortion in campaigning, earmarks, stealing from the government, and abusing political power. What she doesn't believe in is global warming/climate change and that humans have any role in it. A former beauty queen and sports reporter, this woman could very-well be shouldering the most awesome responsibility on the planet. This right-wing, religious nut-job would be calling all the shots if/when McCain gets elected and if/when McCain drops dead in the next 4 years (which I understand from actuarial tables is a pretty good possibility).

I'm not going to rail on Sarah Palin in any more detail for her many infractions, deceitfulness, or extremist ideology - there are thousands of journalists doing a fine job of investigating and vetting her as I write this. Instead, I'm railing on John McCain for the judgment he exhibited in selecting this woman. Clearly this was not John McCain's decision. He had a short list from the lengthy search process, and she wasn't on it. He wanted Tom Ridge or Joe Lieberman for his Veep. He would have settled for Mitt Romney or Tim Pawlenty as his Veep. But instead, after the right-wing extremist faction essentially vetoed those alternatives, John McCain settled on an ill-experienced woman who could energize the right-wing base.

John McCain did not choose someone who could help him govern the country after he got into office. Instead, he chose someone who could "fire up the base" to help him win the election. He didn't choose someone who is even slightly qualified to step into the presidency in the event he is incapacitated. Instead, he chose someone who could help him define his candidacy as that of 'change' (which, of course, is wholly & utterly ridiculous). He didn't choose a running mate that HE wanted. Instead, he chose someone the 'Religious Right' would accept. So much for John McCain's 'Maverick' status.


McCain - The Fighter

As painful as it was, I did watch much of the Republican convention, and all of John McCain's speech. I even watched the introduction video which highlighted his family heritage of military service. His father and grandfather were both highly decorated servicemen. His own service record is well known and his history as a prisoner of war is the stuff legends are made of. How many times did we hear that he can't raise his arms above his shoulders?

In his acceptance speech, John McCain used the word (or some derivative of the word) "fight" 25 times. I couldn't help but notice what a fighter he says he is. Couple that with his military background and his propensity for more war and 'victory' in Iraq, and I see a picture of someone whose inclination is to go to battle instead of exercising diplomacy.

After McCain's many gaffes (Czechoslovakia isn't still a country, Iran is not fueling the Sunni's, and Iraq doesn't border Pakistan), I see an old man who's inclined to senior moments instead of prudent judgment.

And after McCain's dirty, sleazy, slimy low-brow campaign tactics, I see someone who's surrounded himself with Bush's old henchmen (Rove & company, not-to-mention pathetic hacks like Joe Lieberman, Phil Graham, and Lindsey Graham), instead of people with integrity.

Anyone out there who actually believes the McCain/Palin presidential candidacy will bring real change in Washington is clearly not paying attention. Anyone out there who thinks John McCain has demonstrated prudent judgment and is a reforming maverick, must have just awoken from an 8-year sleep. And anyone out there who thinks Sarah Palin is qualified to be President of the United States (yes, I said "President" not "Vice President" because the Veep MUST be qualified for the #1 seat) is obviously intoxicated from the Religious-Right-Wing Kool-aid.


The Bottom Line

Wake up, America!!! Don't vote with your vagina. Don't vote with your penis. Don't even vote with your heart. Use your head and ask yourself which of these two men has demonstrated prudent, solid, and sensible judgment? Which one of these two men has demonstrated superior leadership, insightfulness, vision, and communicative ability? Which one of these two men has demonstrated that they can be trusted? Which one of these two men are driven by extremists & lobbyists, and which one of these two men are driven by social conscience? Which one of these two men was against the war in Iraq from the start and vows to bring the occupation to closure, and which one wants it to continue indefinately?

The contrast between these two men could not be more stark. It's astonishing that this race is so close. John McCain wants you to "stand up". I'm just asking you to WAKE UP!