Obama or McCain? The choice gets more difficult as election day nears

Disagree

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by Gary Sacco

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Many experts still believe that the Presidential Election will wind up very close. I predict a 5 percentage point margin of victory. Recent polls continue to show a large faction of undecided voters. This I find unfathomable. After a lengthy, and for the Democrats, bruising, primary season, the electorate should be very familiar with both Barack Obama and John McCain. For me, a Democrat, the choice was arrived at many months ago. Candidate McCain disavowing Republican Party policies, then crusading for change and a Washington shake up seemed disingenuous for the 26 year Senator. Sure, McCain has broken ranks on a handful of issues. More often, though, he has towed his party's line. Barack Obama is my candidate for many reasons. Ironically, his theme of change alone didn't convince me. Holistically, Obama is more appealing. I commend the consistency of his positions contrasted by McCain's revolving embrace and repudiation of various Bush policies. Like a never ending Polka, his message leaves the voter dizzy and confused. Interestingly, Obama's moral fiber stands up very favorably versus the so-called straight talking Arizona Senator. In this challenging climate, voters must also evaluate who really is the more solid decision maker. Again, Obama is the runaway choice here.

As the propaganda machine kicked up hubris and smoke, insisting to the American public that we must invade Iraq, for a bunch of suspect reasons, Barack Obama publically disagreed. While many war dissenting elected officials were scared into silence, or else have their patriotism questioned, the young Illinois State Senator did not flinch. He boldly declared that Iraq invasion was the wrong course. John McCain wholeheartedly supported it. Who was right? It is very apparent now that Saddam Hussein could not produce the degree of threat ginned up by the Administration. The WMD hunt turned up nothing. Like sand during a whipping windstorm, the supposed Al Qeada connection just, well, blew away. The great debate, now regards the troop surge. McCain has seized on relative calmness, in Iraq, to suggest that Obama was completely wrong about this strategy's effectiveness. Yet, McCain's attitude is very smug. He seems convinced that we've won there. In reality, too many factors are still tenuous. Americans may not be able to examine the real outcome for many years.

The second component of Obama's war position lamented that the adventure in Iraq detracts from the Afghanistan campaign. McCain's comment about "muddling through" was, unfortunately, not contextually accurate, according to factcheck.org. Yet, the philosophy, frequently articulated, among Iraq hawks was that the Afghanistan effort was now far less urgent. Iraq would become the focus, or "the central front", in the War on Terror, receiving the bulk of US Military resources. What are present conditions in Afghanistan? The country is more violent and the resurgent Taliban far more formidable. Our military brain trust is very nervous. Unlike his opponent's short sightedness, Obama's concern reflects Afghanistan's history. This nation of impossible terrain and tough tribal warriors can grind invaders down. Many forget that, in the eighties, the Soviet Red Army came to conquer. Years later, they marched home, devastated and unsuccessful. While the US military is still entrenched in Iraq, Afghanistan can become our worst nightmare.

John McCain's story is extraordinary. His time spent in a North Vietnamese prison was courage personified. During his Senate career, he has forged a reputation fighting corruption, occasionally bucking his party and blasting legislative earmarks. Unfortunately, there are a few potholes in McCain's pristine moral road. Two decades ago, indelible scandal tainted the Senator's record. McCain used his influence, attempting to keep regulators off Savings and Loan mogul Charles Keating. Unfortunately, Keating's poor investment choices nearly caused an industry collapse, leading to a taxpayer bailout. This may sound familiar! Now, The New York Times reports that McCain Campaign Manager Rick Davis, through his consulting firm, received lobbyist payments, from failed mortgage giant Freddie Mac, up to a few months ago. Thus far, Obama has a clean sheet, here. This is very impressive considering that Republican operatives have undoubtedly, turned up shovels full of mud, looking for anything. In today's tabloid world, this is more than commendable.

The recent economic crisis shines bright light on my thinking. Senator Obama has frequently mentioned his concern for an economy that is broken. A major theme of his tax plan consists of lowering the burden on the middle class and increasing the tab on the uber weathly and mega corporations. The candidate also calls for sensible lending regulations. Senator McCain, on the other hand, hates regulation, period. In my opinion, this amounts to legitimate philosophical differences. What disturbs me is McCain's pulse on the economic conditions. Two weeks ago, the Senator nonsensically insisted that the fundamentals of our economy were strong. I use that adverb based on our economy's growth being reduced to a crawl, while the Fed still worries about inflation, plus the fact that two leading sectors, housing and financial, are in chaos. Wake up, Senator McCain, you don't need to read the stock market report, either! Go shopping. I'm sorry, but the Senator's aloofness disturbs me as a voter.

Another questionable judgment call, on McCain's part, was picking Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to be his running mate. Like a badly needed life preserver, Palin's persona, and story, injected the campaign with much needed enthusiasm. However, Barracuda fever has begun to unravel via experience issues and Palin's own statements. The interviews have not been pretty. After flippantly pointing out that "we might have to go to war with Russia", Palin was obviously perplexed, by a Charles Gibson question, regarding the Bush Doctrine. She then encountered problems giving Katie Couric examples of specific actions, by John McCain, to back up his maverick image. Also dogging Palin are an investigation into whether she abused her power, as governor, pushing for the dismissal of her estranged brother in law state trooper and possible past membership into the Alaska Independence Party, an organization that advocates re voting on statehood, with the option of secession! Personally, I'm not confident in her ability to become President should anything happen to Senator McCain.

Grand Old Party talking heads keep promoting security. The McCain campaign insists that John McCain will keep Americans safe while Senator Obama will not do so. In my opinion, this is the same hollow rhetoric and fear mongering trumpeted, with devastating effect, since the 9-11 tragedy. It won't work this time. I'm voting for a President who will carefully consider every decision, show flexibility by working with the opposition, reign in reckless lending practices, address differences, with allies and adversaries, by committing to diplomacy first and shore up our efforts, in Afghanistan, while winding them down in Iraq. I certainly don't want US forces in the latter nation for the next 100 years! Obama often says he's "fired up and ready to go". I believe him.

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