I have always been one who enjoys discussing politics and making my opinion known, on any given issue. However, several years ago I became rather disenchanted with the entire political system and basically washed my hands of it. I stopped reading news papers. I stopped following all of the various campaigns. I stopped voting. I had reached the conclusion that the whole system was a farce and that my vote didn't matter anyway, so why bother?
That was until recently, (read: the current administration). Over the last few years I have seen things transpire in our government that I could never have imagined, not in my wildest dreams. I have seen the very principles that this country was founded on get thrown out the window, the Constitution completely disregarded. Most recently, I have seen the collapse of our financial system as a direct result of the mishandling and ill-minded policies of the current administration. I have seen my fear call forth my renewed interest.
As such, I have been following the current Presidential Campaigns fairly closely. Having watched all of the debates thus far, as well as any interviews, stump speeches and other forms of campaigning that I might find on the interwebs, I have a few thoughts that I just need to get out.
First of all, I was never either an Obama or McCain man. In fact, I was a fan of Joe Biden from the beginning, so imagine my surprise when Obama announced him as his running mate! Still, I had my doubts about both candidates. It has been everything that has happened since then that has begun to sway me in one direction or another. Let me explain my criteria.
I am looking for the person that I believe has the greatest potential to lead this nation. I am looking for someone that I believe can empathize with me, my family, my situation. I am looking for someone that demonstrates an ability to look at a problem from a number of angles and really understand it, as well as they can, before they got in firing all barrels. I am looking for someone with a cool head and a calm heart. I am looking for someone worthy of my one, little vote.
There is no denying that Senator McCain is hero, a model American and in inspiration. He has clearly dedicated his life to serving this country and for that we must give him the respect that he deserves. However, these attributes in and of themselves do not necessarily qualify him to lead a country. There are many Americans out there that these same accolades could just as suitably be used to describe, but they are not qualified either.
To further my point, I cannot understand the decision to have Sarah Palin as his running mate. She is so completely devoid of any real substance that the fact that she is in this arena is laughable, if only it weren't so utterly terrifying! I'm sure that she is a very nice lady and I "betcha" she's done wonderful things for the great state of Alaska, but maybe she should just keep on doing them up there.
Another thing that scares me about Senator McCain's campaign is his followers. I cannot say how many clips I have seen of McCain supporters talking about Senator Obama as though he just arrived from Afghanistan with a box full of explosives! The logic that they use to explain their stance is absurd.
Again and again I have seen these people rocking their heads back and forth saying, "Obama-Osama", as though the fact that these two words rhyme indicates that the men for whom these words are names are some how related and therefore should both be similarly feared. By this logic, we should be putting Stacey Keach on trial for murder because his first name rhymes with John Wayne Gacy's last name.
Also, again and again at Senator McCain's various campaign rallies, the crowds get excited, as they should. However, when members of the audience are shouting things like, "Off with his head!" or "Shoot him!", as I have seen on several McCain rally videos, there is something fundamentally wrong going on!
Not only are these people exhibiting an unnaturally violent and unhealthy attitude, but they are literally threatening Senator Obama. Whats more disturbing to me is the fact that so far, Senator McCain has never turned to the crowd and tried to dissuade them from their riotous, mob-like behavior. How can this man be expected to lead this country out of the quagmire that we are currently in and into a brighter future, if he cannot even demonstrate the ability to lead his own followers toward peaceful, open-minded behavior?
A real leader would not stand for any of this. A real leader would stop in his/her tracks and teach their followers that this kind of hatred, this kind of small-mindedness will not help our country move forward. It will only make the lines that divide us now, grow that much wider. But I suppose that for that to happen, the leader must recognize this truth first. Unfortunately, it appears that Senator McCain has yet to figure it out.
I am grateful that the Universe saw fit to hatch me where it did and I do not take the fact that I am an American for granted, especially now. But, as each day brings us closer to November 4th, my concern grows a little more. I really hope that we, as a nation, can rise above the absurd, petty differences that divide us, take a long, hard look at what it is that makes a truly great leader and put the right man in the White House.
