A Tired Old Man For President

John McCain has told us every day of his convention that he was a POW in Vietnam.  His biography was shown every day.  He re-stated part of it in his acceptance speech.  His rightful claim is that he is a hero because he has given his life to service to his country.  His two themes are “country first” and “service”.  The banners were everywhere.  No one would deny him salutes, honors, and congratulations over his fortitude.  Is that reason enough to elect him president?

We should not elect a president because he survived a POW camp.  We should elect a president because he has the wisdom to lead the nation.  There was little in his address that would lead anyone to believe he would do anything different than George W. Bush.  He says he would be different but his positions and his support by corporate lobbyists do not support that promise.  John McCain did not address a single issue with a specific solution.

There was nothing in his speech to tell us how he would deal with the challenges of the 21^st century with the exception of his relatively strong position on reducing our dependence on foreign oil.  That position was echoed by Barack Obama who went even further than John McCain by stating a goal of energy independence within the next decade.

Senator McCain’s family has a history of military service.  That goes back to at least his grandfather and has been inculcated into his sons.  This is a family that is focused on military matters.  How many times did he use the word “fight” in his acceptance speech? That could be an issue for a president.  Would he fight first and ask questions later?  Would he take us into a war with Russia over the republic of Georgia?  His support of the Iraq War without a definition of victory is an example of his support of George W. Bush.

Did McCain address any new technologies, global warming, and America’s decline in the eyes of the rest of the world?  No! That’s because the Republican Party is the party of the past.  John McCain wants to re-fight the Vietnam War.  He wants to sacrifice more American lives in the Iraqi civil war.  He stands at the head of a party that had only 36 Black delegates at its convention.  His focus is on helping corporate America grow even wealthier at the expense of American jobs.

Finally we must address John McCain’s age.  He is 72 years old.  If elected he would be the oldest person to enter this office.  His health has been an issue in the past.  The presidency has aged all of its office holders very quickly.  If he should become incapacitated Sarah Palin would become president.  E,J. Dionne aptly describes Palin as the “quintessentially political choice.” How many of us would elect her to this office?

Compare the acceptance speeches of Barack Obama and John McCain.  Obama’s speech was filled with detailed plans for the things he would do as president.  McCain’s speech offered no specific plans.  McCain spoke about reforming Washington without the detail.

The Democratic Party reflects the racial, ethnic, and religious diversity that now more reflects America.  Barack Obama is really a half breed.  His mother was White and his father a Black man from Kenya.  Barack Obama is from a one parent home. He understands the meaning of working for a living.  Obama is the bright, wise, and articulate leader we need in the White House.  Barck Obama definitely meets America’s criteria for new leadership.

The choice is clear. Old and stodgy or forward looking.  We need to elect Barack Obama!