Friday, August 29, 2008

Stepping Up on the Political Soapbox for a Minute

Barack Obama picks Joe Biden. John McCain picks Sarah Palin.

Interesting choices, particularly given the messages that each of the presidential candidates have tried to put forth lately.

Let’s see. Obama is all about change. The country needs change. He picks a VP candidate who is a longtime politician on the national level with little record to indicate that he will fight the status quo. Hmm. . .

Well then, let’s look at McCain. McCain is all about experienced leadership. The country needs experienced leadership in the White House. He picks a VP candidate who is younger than Obama and with less national political experience than Obama. Hmm. . .

WTF were these men thinking?!? May I suggest that perhaps both of these presidential candidates could have looked to VP picks that would have helped them stay more on message rather than pandering to the “be everything to everyone” mentality and trying to counteract the criticisms from the other side?

Oh, I know, I’m just a simpleton when it comes to these things. What do I know? It’s silly really for me to think that I could select better running mates than these two have. However, for good or bad, here’s my take on it. If Obama wanted someone with experience without the “insider” feel of Biden perhaps he should have chosen Hillary Clinton. She’s been in the political arena a long time without being a long time politician and has an inside track on what it’s like in the White House. With Clinton as VP, the change message would ring truer than with Biden. For McCain, if he’s looking for someone younger than himself (a large percent of the population) and female, then why not look to Condaleeza Rice? She’s young and female, but unlike Palin, she has national political experience. If McCain’s message is “Let’s have experienced leadership” then Rice is a much better choice than Palin.

So what are these people thinking? Who are their advisors who are leading them down these paths? I’m sorry America, but once again we’re left with the choice of which one is the less bad set of candidates rather than which one is the best set of candidates.

To be sure, I’ll vote in November. Yes I will, and I will vote for the less objectionable set of candidates on the ballot from the two major parties. I won’t be throwing my wholehearted support behind either set though. One of these days, I’m going to run for president myself. I’d do a darned sight better job than most of the doofuses (doofi?) we elect now, and I'll make sure to pick a running mate that isn't the antithesis of the message I've been conveying up to that point.

7 comments:

Fusion said...

Sarah Palin?

Who?

Never heard of her.

Great choice for a 72 year old Presidential canidate with skin cancer issues...

Of course Biden is 65 himself, but at least I like the man...

BTW, if I get set up in AZ, the welcome mat will always be out for you True :)

Therese in Heaven said...

I don't think Palin was chosen predominantly for her age or gender. Personally, I think those were just perks. McCain has alienated himself from a lot of Conservatives Christians, even to the point of Dr. Dobson publically saying he wouldn't vote for him. With a running mate like Palin, maybe he stands a chance at getting back some of the support he's lost.

Sailor said...

*Ding* you've got my vote, anyone that recognizes the doofi, I support.

Seriously though, I'm not so sure it was an entirely pandering choice- as Therese observes, he's having troubles with some of the most stalwart supporters in the Republican party, and this is probably an attempt to correct that.

Anonymous said...

Actually, Joe Biden makes (to me) a lot of sense. I wasn't thrilled with this pick initially, but when you consider one of his (percieved) shortcomings is foreign policy, well then picking a man with experience in this regard fills some holes. You may not care for Biden (like I said, I wasn't thrilled with this one either), but it is understandable.

Palin on the other hand smacks of desperation. Yes, he gets to balance "age" since it is such a factor considering his, but this is just desperation. This is a "hail mary" type attempt at getting people... in particular Hillary supporters to vote for him purely because Palin is a women, and hoping that some Hillary supporters will vote this way after she was "snubbed" by Obama.

In the end, the only people that will support Palin and her ultra-conservative ways are people that probably would have voted for McSame anyway.

I can't help but wonder how Joe "Suck Up" Lieberman is feeling right now after spending the last year or so with his lips firmly planted on McSame's ass hoping for the Veep nomination.

Trueself said...

Fuse - Guess we'll all get to know her better in the next few months. After all, how many people really knew much about Bill Clinton until he ran for president?

You have no idea what you're in for by saying the welcome mat is always out for me. You have no idea how much I love AZ and spending time there.

Therese - Yes, I think he has alienated himself from that contingent, but that's because of who he is and what he believes is right. I think he's selling out by choosing someone in an attempt to appeal to a group of people to whom he never cared to appeal to before.

Sailor - Well, he managed to get the nomination without pandering to the right wing wackos. Why try to win them over now?

BTW, thanks for throwing your support behind my campaign.
Trueself in 2012!

Joe - I agree with a lot of what you say. Biden is definitely a better choice for Obama than Palin is for McCain.

Unknown said...

Rice said early on that she was not interested in the VP spot.

Trueself said...

Nancy - So did a lot of others, but they tend to change their minds when actually asked. I believe if it came right down to it she would have accepted the invitation.