Checkered flag before the start gun
I spent a lot of time in the car over the weekend, and as a result heard much radio commentary about Barack Obama’s recently concluded trip to the Middle East and Europe. After getting home, a friend called Sunday evening to chat. In the course of that conversation he asked, “Are you gonna vote for Obama? Is it possible we’ll vote for the same guy this time?”
I’m not part of Obama’s natural constituency, partly because my political inclinations run in other directions but also because I’m instinctively uncomfortable with personality-based movements of any kind, political or otherwise. But frankly, I don’t think my vote will matter. This election is a foregone conclusion. Obama took his global victory lap last week.
It’s hard to imagine any circumstance in which Obama doesn’t win the presidency. The economy went into the tank at a moment most beneficial to him, the media — whose favor John McCain once had to himself — has given Obama a free pass on things like his visits to “57 states,” and his flip-flops are generally accepted to be a sign of pragmatism and realism, rather than political pandering (which is what flip-flops are when performed by, say, Hillary Clinton). In short, nothing sticks to Obama: His flag lapel pin comes off, then reappears. He doesn’t want us in Iraq, but wants a surge in Afghanistan (which has none of the strategic importance of Iraq and twice the difficulty). He couldn’t condemn his controversial minister, then he shunned him. Obama could have taught Ronald Reagan a thing or two about teflon coatings.
None of that bothers me much. I don’t expect spiritual nourishment from political leaders. I want somebody who’s going to run things well, look for opportunities to spend less, and let citizens live their lives as they see fit without nanny-state supervision. Will Obama do those things? Beats the hell out of me. But it sure looks like we’re gonna find out.
July 29th, 2008 at 10:42 am
The odds certainly favor an Obama victory this Fall. However, your hope that an Obama administration “will let citizens live as they see fit without nanny-state supervision” is likely a fleeting wish as Michelle Obama has already put the kabash to that when she spoke to a campaign crowd and stated, “Barack Obama will require you to work. He is going to demand that you shed your cynicism . . . that you come out of your isolation. . . . Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual, uninvolved, uninformed.”
Damn. I guess that is the end of my retirement and possibly your current career as well.
July 29th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Please take a moment to point out all of McCain’s flops. Talk about pandering for votes. At least pretend you notice it.
Also, how about explaining how Iraq borders Pakistan? Foreign expert, my ass.
July 29th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
I agree. McCain is the king of flip-flops - just to name a few: Bush tax cuts, affirmative action, offshore drilling, his own immigration policy. Let’s be fair, now.
July 29th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
The lucky thing for GD is that his blog contains his OPINIONS! There is no fair in that. It is just what you think. Neither candidate can do anything they promise alone. The founding fathers set up the system that way. Depending on the VP picks, the voters could lose/gain faith. We’ll see!
July 29th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
Gee people. This is a blog. It’s Dan’s forum to express his opinion. If you want “fairness” then turn to the mainstream media which will, I am certain, give equal coverage in space and tone to both Obama and McCain.
(Sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh as I typed that last sentence.)
July 29th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Not so fast there Dan. ‘The Savior’ rode his white horse through Europe for a few days talking about being a ‘citizen of the world’ and apologizing at every turn for America’s shortcomings. He never mentioned D-Day, Harry Truman and the Berlin Airlift, or Regan’s challenge to Mr. Gorbachev or any number of times that we have brought stability to that region. He cancelled a visit to a US military hospital because of the no camera rule. A lot of people were truly offended by his tone and won’t forget it in November. Don’t buy the media hype. They try but it ain’t gonna work.
July 29th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
You nailed it, Dan: “I’m instinctively uncomfortable with personality-based movements of any kind”
July 30th, 2008 at 9:46 am
“Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual, uninvolved, uninformed.”
So Doug, this damning snippet from Mrs. Messiah’s speech indicates that you think being involved and informed are bad things?
July 30th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
“… It’s hard to imagine any circumstance in which Obama doesn’t win the presidency.”
That’s a surprising lack of imagination for a writer of your caliber.
“He doesn’t want us in Iraq, but wants a surge in Afghanistan (which has none of the strategic importance of Iraq…”
That’s what George W. Bush said on 9/10/01.