Saturday, September 13, 2008

More reaction to my last email

My last email elicited a large number of responses:
 
-- I find it interesting that when Americans look to their politicians they primarily look to someone they can relate to.  Americans seem interested in relating to the biography and values of the candidate (see below the defense of small town values, common sense values, Christian values) more than most other attributes.

 

If those same Americans were asked to select a doctor to supervise the care of a loved one with a dangerous disease they would apply very different criteria.  They would look at the educational record of the physician as an indicator of intelligence, performance, and training.  They would look at the institutions where the physician has worked and is working as an indicator of professional expertise and access to the best thinking in the field.  They would look most carefully at the physician's record of actual practice in the field and the outcome of the work they have performed.  The physician's values, biography, and ability to relate would be very far down the list of considerations.

 

It always surprises me that academic excellence, intelligence, and association with the brightest minds is often the object of derision in politics, rather than an obvious benefit.  One could argue that Obama is better (intelligence, ideas) or that McCain is better (experience in high public service), but the discussion would center on real ways to evaluate the candidates and their ability to perform once in office.

 

-- As the daughter of Christians who both grew up on small Southern towns, I can say that I object to a VP nominee who has so far displayed a petty, bigoted spirit and a seeming lack of intellectual depth.

If anything, I fear what a McCain-Palin administration would mean for the future of my brothers' young children along with your children and those of everyone else I know. I hope people realize how fragile our nation's situation is, and just how much hangs in the balance beyond all the rhetoric.

 

-- "Right On Bro – Once again Rove , Norquist and their compatriots are allowed to do any Obama bashing they can think of and when Barack brings out truths about McCain/Palin, he is attacked as being a negative campaigner. If only the media would pay some attention to issues rather than personalities and non-issues– but the public gets what they know – shallow thinking.on an American Idol depth."

 

-- "I actually think there’s a good chance Palin could become president. While there’s longevity on McCain’s mom’s side, McCain has already outlived his famed paternal grandfather (died at age 61) and father (died at age 70), both of whom died from heart attacks. Then, of course, there’s the cancer and physical abuse John the Third endured. A quick Web search turned up this article -- http://www.pr-inside.com/sarah-palin-40-chance-to-take-r781355.htm -- which says there’s a 40% chance Palin could be president, based on the likelihood of McCain’s death or disability. This one -- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/03/harsh-statistics-1-in-3-c_n_123583.html -- gives McCain a 33% chance of dying over the next eight years.

 

And THAT is what really scares me. Palin would truly be another term of George Bush – a short-term governor of modest intelligence but real political skills, whose main asset is to talk in a way that appeals to an incurious, “loyal,” and unfortunately sizeable segment of America."

 

-- I am so sick of the right wing Republican trumpeting what "proud" and patriotic Americans they are as if they have a monopoly on this. What does this have to do with vetting a candidate who very well could be our next President? If Palin was a Democrat who was similarly unqualified, the Republicans would be having a field day!

 
-- From a friend in the military:
We all noticed this right away.... McCain is absolutely TOYING with Obama - we'd like to think as a trained military mind - what he is doing is absolutely what we'd all do to win a fight... To win, you have to get inside the "enemy's" decision circle - that way you are the one who is driving the agenda - not him. We worked HARD to do this to Al Qaida in Iraq and once we did the results are stunning... the Sun Tzu speaks a lot of this.... and McCain is obviously well inside the Obama decision circle. Unless that changes - GAME OVER. We don't think that Obama has the right sort of mind to do it...
 
When I said I thought he was seriously underestimating Obama, he replied:
 

Perhaps......  we'll see.  But the guy who has been underestimated time and time and time again isn't Obama, but rather McCain.  The religious right did it.  His primary competition did it.  The media did it (Krauthammer really blew it when he said the Palin pick was a catastrophe).  But his campaign has come back from the dead.  He has postured himself as such:

 

1.  Moved to the middle early - and this led him through the primaries - especially in states that allow independents to vote.  McCain is well in the Center of the voting public.  Obama is well to the left.

2.  Stayed out of the Hillary vs. Obama boxing match - remained above the fray

3.  "Teased" the religious conservatives by floating pro-choice candidates as VP candidates.... demoralizing them...

4.  Maintained total and complete secrecy on Palin pick - whom his staff was vetting as early as January

5.  Announced her the day after Obama's acceptance speech - brilliant timing

6.  Has put the party base into a total FRENZY right before the election - 2 months out.... I said it the day it was announced - the choice was absolutely brilliant as was the timing... To say that it was a "last second desperate gasp" does disservice to the forethought and the obvious strategy which he has embarked upon. 

7.  Is she ready to be President???  In 4 years she probably will be.... McCain's job is to WIN the election for this is a battle of ideology - deep within the cultural divide.  It's economic liberalism vs. more governmental influence.  I NEVER thought that McCain could get the religious right onto his side - to do that and keep himself in the middle all at once is absolutely brilliant... 

- Female vote

- Religious vote

- An olive branch to the young

- Rural vote

- Gun vote

- military vote

- small town vote

 

And highlights the experience issue that Krauthammer was so distressed about.  Every time the issue is raised by the Obama camp it comes right back in their lap - brilliant.....I think it's McCain who has been underestimated here.  Obama is going to come out swinging tomorrow....  it will be interesting to see if he can force McCain into a reactive posture and if he can regain the initiative....  But McCain has everyone talking about Pigs and lipstick at the moment....  next McCain is going to play on North Korean issue which just came out (bet me a paycheck!).... Obama is going to have to respond.... you think Biden is going to carry the heavy lifting on this?????  I sure don't - no one cares what Biden has to say.....  not even the Left...   No I don't underestimate Obama.... but I don't think that Obama knows the core of the country like McCain does....  McCain is playing this masterfully - thus far..... why?  The only explanation is that he knows the guts of the country and knows which buttons to push....  But then again, he's one temper tantrum away from catastrophe!

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