by Lauren Schwartz

Created on: December 05, 2008   Last Updated: December 17, 2008

This election proved that a person can be voted into office on issues alone. For all of the excuses given for McCain's loss, nothing is more obvious, or factual, than the fact that McCain gave himself very little opportunity to present his policies. The economy didn't help him, and it was his he who told the people "the fundamentals of our economy are strong". It was also he who went on the record proclaiming that he "voted with the President [Bush] over 90% of the time, more than some of [his] own party". Then there was the pick of Sarah Palin as his running mate. That decision confirmed that McCain lacked good judgement. But with all of this considered, he still could have won the election if he had stayed on point and informed the American voters where he stood on the issues.

With all the mudslinging and "gotcha journalism" proclamations that occurred during this election, John McCain allowed that to take up his time and deny himself more opportunity to discuss his policies. During the debates, Barack Obama specified his plans, detailed his policies and never strayed from his original messages. For two years, Obama maintained his position on the issues, while McCain flip-flopped between America having a strong economy and "suspending" his campaign to save Wall Street.

Obama remained crystal clear about the issues: during each debate, during his rally speeches and, in case anyone had missed one, his website detailed his policies as well. McCain had spoke briefly about his health-care plan, which would end up leaving more uninsured Americans than now, and he related himself to the everyday working man in America - through Joe the Plumber. A name that got annoying faster than his imaginary story was investigated. Via Joe the unlicensed plumber, who owed the government money, McCain and Palin told the country where they stood on the issues. For every policy Obama presented, the opposition responded with accusations that were racist and divisive.

Of course an election can be decided on issues alone, it's just been so long since the country has voted that way. In light of the past eight years, voters were tired of being kept in the dark about the executive branch's issues and being lied to. In Barack Obama, America saw a candidate who wasn't plotting sinisterly about how to abuse loopholes (real or made up). They saw a man who came from where they did and would actually work for their best interests instead of just saying so.

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