I have huge respect for Sen. McCain’s service to his country, his true grit in surviving many years as a POW, and his courage in even strapping himself into a fighter jet and zooming over enemy territory. But as to how this experience uniquely qualifies him to be Commander in Chief, my good friend Don Davidge points out that we would all be better served by electing a pilot who flew 30, 40, 50 SUCCESSFUL missions over Vietnam. Where is that candidate?
After seven and a half years of unmitigated disaster spawned by our shoot-from-the hip cowboy president, we cannot afford another go at macho mayhem. McCain is a man of honor, but he is not presidential timber.
Hi. I see where you’re coming from, but I like that McCain has served in the Military. At least he knows what it is to be sent to a war without end. He can empathize on a level many of us can’t, and I think that’s better than what most of us can say.
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You said, “McCain is a man of honor, but he is not presidential timber.”
And Obama is?
Well, the two don’t necessarily need to be connected.
Carey,
My point is that McCain can not claim to be “presidential timber” simply because he has military hero status. I would have voted for McCain in 2000, because at that time his “maverick” status was genuine and compelling. Now he has slavishly (and perplexingly) adopted virtually all of the miserably failed positions of George W. Bush – a man who cannot hold a candle to McCain or any other veteran. Why has McCain sold his soul to such an inferior man as W?
As for Obama, I don’t know – yet – if he is presidential timber, but I would rather have our country in the hands of a visionary leader with broad intellectual underpinnings than another macho gunslinger. Should another 4000 American soldiers die in Iraq before we all realize what a monumentally stupid move W made? Last but not least, don’t underestimate the courage that Obama has demonstrated in his success – against great odds – as a black man in America.
Rantcaster,
I agree, “military hero” does not translate into “presidential timber” automatically. I can concede that. But I do think “loyal POW” shows a strength of character and determination that is very formidable in a run for President. Few of us can even imagine the experience, much less what it would be like to withstand it without caving in to the torture and intimidation. And one other thing on Johnny Mac – once he becomes President (if he does) we’ll see if he’s “sold his soul to W.” That’s a huge accusation that I don’t think will hold water in the end. Granted, he might be playing the political game with W in order to get h is support for now, but in the end I think he’ll be his own man.
As for Obama, to me he seems to be an idealogue, with little to say that is different from what has been said by the liberal side for the last 20 years… things that haven’t worked here or abroad.
I dont think McCain is running solely on his military experience.
Thanks !