Saturday, September 06, 2008

The political season kicks into high gear for me today. This afternoon I am heading down to the grand opening of the new Obama headquarters in downtown Bakersfield. It will be nice to rub shoulders with some other local people who share my enthusiasm about the historic campaign of Barack Obama. I have been following the race for the White House very closely since I got back from vacation about five weeks ago. I have watched a significant amount of both the Republican and Democratic convention over the past two weeks and what I have seen and heard has reinforced my belief more than ever that Obama is the right person at this time to lead our country...and...the John McCain/Sara Palin ticket would be a disaster.

I'll refrain myself from going into all the reasons why I think John McCain would be a bad choice but I would like to mention one incident that for me sums up why I don't think the country should give the keys to the kingdom to McCain and his understudy Sarah Palin. About three weeks ago McCain and Obama appeared at Rick Warren's church to field questions from Pastor Warren about a whole host of issues ranging from war to their own personal faith. The one question and response that jumped out to me more than any other was Warren's question about evil. Warren asked both candidates whether they believed in evil and if they did, what would they do about it. Both candidates answered that they believed in evil but it was "how" they defined evil that was most telling to me. Obama described evil as something that exists in our cities, homes, and abroad while McCain limited his description to evil to the terrorists who are "out there"...and...McCain promised to hunt down Osama Bin Ladin and his terrorist network and destroy them.

Last week during Barack Obama's acceptance speech he asserted that John McCain does care about the country but he just doesn't get it and I couldn't agree more. After listening to John McCain off and on for months now John McCain, like many of his followers, McCain seems to see the world in terms of black and white, the good guys and the bad guys... and...his prescription...rattle the saber,flex our military muscle, continue Bush's tax breaks for the rich and simply sit back and watch the trickle down effect restore our economy back to the golden days of the 1990's.... Obama has been criticized by some critics and members of the media for being too nuanced in his response to the challenges that lay ahead but from my perspective Obama's leanings towards nuance reflects that "he does" understand the complexity of the world and he does see the big picture of what is going on not only in our country but the world abroad...while John McCain's general outlook to the challenges ahead reminds me of George Bush who rode into Washington on a white stallion waving his sword but is now going to leave town soon on a donkey. McCain may not be clone of George Bush but from everything I have seen and observed during this campaign his "worldview" seems too hauntingly familiar to that of George Bush.

8 comments:

David Blakeslee said...

It would be a real shame if the Republicans once again found electoral success through running the kind of dishonest say-one-thing-while-planning-another campaign that Bush/Rove did back in 2000. Bush promised to be a uniter, not a divider, but his agenda was immediately divisive and notoriously indifferent to what people on "the other side of the aisle" have to say. Now McCain has secured the nomination by promising to continue the Bush policies and demonstrated just how thoroughly he is owned by the right wing by choosing an unvetted, untested and ideologically extreme Sarah Palin. Then he has the nerve to say she's the person we need at this time to go in and shake up the DC establishment of which he is an integral part.

I have serious doubts about McCain's character, judgment and honesty after watching him lie and mislead the voters over this past week. There is no way that he should be regarded as fit to serve as President of the USA in our current circumstances.

Bilbo said...

If McCain and Palin think they are going to waltz into Washington and shake up the establishment they are either naive or stupid. Washington ain't Alaska Sarah Palin, and I suspect McCain will put Mrs. Palin in the back of the bus once the business of running the country begins. I generally like to give people, even politicians, the benefit of the doubt regarding the character issue but I do agree McCain has demonstrated terrible judgment by selecting Palin and allowing the Rove clones to run his campaign...but...what concerns me the most, is the fact, that so many people are apparently willingly to go along with another chapter in the adventures of the Bush vision of the world. What is it going to take to wake us up? War with Iran, a total collapse of the economy, ten dollar gas prices????

kc bob said...

I share your thinking about the answers to the Warren evil question Bill. Overall I think that people who like simplistic black/white answers liked McCain and saw him as a decisive leader.. 8 years ago I might have been one of them.

I am still happily undecided and looking forward to the debates.. nice to be able to watch them and not be rootin for one debater.

Bilbo said...

Hi Bob,

If there is anything I can do or say to bring you aboard the Obama express just let me know. Need a bumper sticker or a lawn sign?...Seriously, I appreciate your candor and willingness to take your time and will respect whatever decision you make.

kc bob said...

..but what if I vote Ron Paul? Could you support my decision then? LOL

Bilbo said...

Hi Bob,

I welcome your support for Ron Paul. As I understand it, most of the people who would support Ron Paul are not people who would support Obama.

kc bob said...

Just kidding Bill.. a vote for Ron is a wasted vote.. but maybe Nader.. joking again :)

Bilbo said...

Hey Bob,

No vote is ever wasted in my book. I voted for Nader once...Just to be consistent...