I spent Tuesday evening watching the Presidential debate. I have watched these two guys for a while. I have watched a few of these races in my life. I have tried to reserve my judgement on this one.First, a digression, an observation on the packaging of the debate: Tom Brokaw is one shitty moderator. Run the goddamned show, Tom, or let someone else do it. Now, back to the candidates.
When Barack Obama ascended to the national conscience a couple of years back, I opined that Barack appeared to me to be the John Kennedy of the current day. He appeared to me to be someone who could unite a country that is in need of a leader. Barack was, and is, charismatic, very well spoken, bright and well educated.
Then, it seems to me, he began pandering to black interests and excluding the rest of us. The circus with his church, his pastor, all these guys who shouldn't be influencing a president, all this chased me far away. Read "the speech of his life" and see what you think.
Time rolled forward, and war hero John McCain was anointed as the standard bearer by the other side. I listened. I read. I tried to decide if he's selling an extension of the Bush presidency, undoubtedly the worst administration in America since Lyndon Johnson sat on the throne.
I have decided that John McCain is NOT an extension of George Bush, no, sirree.
He's not even that good.
Last night's debate showed me an articulate, thoughtful and well prepared Barack Obama.
It then showed me a John McCain who has no idea of what he's talking about. McCain's dumbass jokes and misguided attempts at humor fell like the stock market as he rambled on, answering questions that hadn't been asked, trying to chuckle it up with Brokaw, talking down to the whole goddamned world, rambling on like he has answers to everything while actually answering nothing. His military ideas and references reveal complete denial of reality. He continually made reference to his hero Ronald Reagan, and spoke of his hero Teddy Roosevelt (don't get me started with a Teddy Roosevelt study; he was a priveleged loon who landed in the White House as an adventure). McCain then started with his "talk softly and carry a big stick" rhetoric... what the hell is he talking about? We're pissing hundreds of millions into the desert and sacrificing lives for no gain, just what big stick are we supposed to pick up?
To my amazement, to my utter astonishment, McCain said "I know how to get Bin Laden. I know how. I'll get him". Hey Big Stick, why don't you go tell George and the generals how to do it so we don't spend more lives and money? You savin' it so we'll adore you later?
This man is delusional.
When McCain picked Palin as his VP candidate, I remarked that he had just conceded the election. While she's been entertaining, it seems that the choice was simply an example of how detached this fellow is from the real world. He is clueless.
This race isn't about race anymore. America's economy is a mess, our military policy is indecipherable, and none of our other real issues has been addressed in the last eight years. No one has been held accountable and things must be changed.
I hope Barack can work for everyone to provide the leadership we so desperately need. I think Senator McCain needs to be anywhere but in the White House.
That is all.
