Friday, August 29, 2008
Checking in
We drove down from Tupper Lake this morning and only just arrived in Princeton. Yes, the McCain signs were, against all our cynical predictions, still up. But the Obama signs in the neighborhood have sprouted like mushrooms after a summer rain, so I may have to deploy some of the 25 signs that arrived during my vacation just to close the difference.
The TH Daughter and I heard the Palin announcement on North Country Public Radio, and we were delighted. We also checked in with the TigerHawk Teenager, who was in Invesco Field last night and said that it was an absolutely amazing experience. You know, it really was an historical event, and if Barack Obama wins that speech will be remembered, rightly or wrongly, as one of the hundred or so most important in American history. I am thrilled that the THT was able to be there, my disagreement with Obama's policies notwithstanding; memories like that only come along a few times in even a charmed life, and it is even more exciting when it happens to your son or daughter.
Now, here's the part when I irritate many of you. While I will almost certainly vote for McCain and Palin, I am not repelled by the prospect of an Obama presidency the way I was in contemplation of Gore or Kerry. In fact, I expect that President Obama would combine the personal charm and eloquence of Bill Clinton without the immorality and criminality. I fear for our national security (and that is the tipping point for me), but we survived Jimmy Carter in frankly more dangerous times, and I must admit that I do believe that Obama's election might -- possibly -- move our race relations to a more sensible and mature state. It will be difficult for an Obama administration to push for new race-based preferences, and only a president of African descent can roll them back. I admit it: I am curious to see an Obama presidency.
That said, I think that the McCain/Palin ticket is equally fascinating. For all that he irritates conservatives, there is no question that John McCain would do interesting things as president, just as he has done his whole career. While that may mean that he will "betray" conservatives, is it likely that he will do so more than George W. Bush and the clowns who ran the Congress when it was under GOP control? And besides, it ought to count for a lot that the McCain campaign is so aggressively positioning Sarah Palin as a practiced opponent of pork and earmarks, just as John McCain himself has been. Fiscally, this pair is likely to be much more to the liking of conservatives than any Republican president since Gerald Ford. Of course, it will be easier for them politically, at least as long as they face a Congress controlled by the other party.
4 Comments:
By 
JPMcT, at
Fri Aug 29, 07:53:00 PM:
I too am intrigued by Obama, but find that he is too easily swayed by his handlers and is completely wrong headed on energy, fiscal and defense policy. I'm afraid he will be a pretty face and robust voice for left wing Democrat policy. In the face of a probably Democratic majority in bboth houses (???filibuster-proof???) the amount of mischief that would follow is bone-chilling.
By Mystery Meat, at
Sat Aug 30, 12:24:00 AM:
Come back to earth, TH. Check out John Hinderaker's column at Powerline:
WAS IT EFFECTIVE DEMAGOGUERY, OR INEFFECTIVE?
Fireworks! The perfect end to an evening of BS slinging of historic proportions. Barack Obama is a demagogue who will stoop to any lie or distortion; the question is how many people he can fool. On that, the jury is out. The answer will emerge between now and November...
By JPMcT, at
Sat Aug 30, 08:47:00 AM:
Very true....I sick of hearing how wonderful his speeches are...running one's mouth doesn't qualify one to run a country.
By 
, at
Sat Aug 30, 10:55:00 AM:
Besides guilt from past racial injustices, I don't see why a conservative leaning person would vote Obama. For skin color or smooth speech delivery?? I watched the whole Obama video & convention speech in anticipation of possibly having to see something that would be inspiring. But instead half the speech was a negative spin beat down of McCain & the rest was just the same old stuff we have now heard multiple times. I really want to know why you would consider that speech something that was historical or life changing-Top 100-?? Honestly, I really want to know,
