Presidential candidates: who they are vs. what they'll do
I've been trying to figure out what the big deal is about McCain having been a POW. Why does he think that telling his story over and over again will get him elected?
My theory is that while Democrats are concerned about what a candidate will do if they are elected, Republicans are more concerned with who a candidate is.
Republicans believe that McCain having survived being a POW means his character is strong and resilient. Logically, he will be strong and resilient when facing America's "enemies." As far as who Obama is, Republicans have slammed him for being young and hopeful, character traits that logically will make him susceptible to being duped by America's enemies. Republicans have even gone so far as to lie that Obama is a Muslim, and therefore logically in league with America's enemies.
Democrats believe that Obama will do things to change what is currently bad about America. They believe he will stop the war in Iraq. They believe he will support universal health care, and help ordinary Americans live environmentally friendly lives. Since McCain doesn't talk about what he's planning to do differently, Democrats logically assume it will be 4 more years of Bush. Democrats were slow, at first, to defend Obama against McCain's attacks on his character (ie: that he wasn't Christian enough, or patriotic enough), because they were more concerned with all the good things Obama was talking about doing, if he were elected. It took them a while to realize that not everyone cared about Obama's policies, and to start trumpeting Obama's good character.
I am truly sorry that McCain suffered the things he did. But if this had any effect on his character, I think it has only made him more embittered, and more likely to continue America's current trend of seeing everyone else as enemies. Obama, on the other hand, is already loved worldwide, and I believe he has the potential to truly "reach across the aisle" and restore relationships with so many of the countries that America has antagonized and estranged. And if he manages to provide me with universal healthcare, and an electric car, so much the better!
My theory is that while Democrats are concerned about what a candidate will do if they are elected, Republicans are more concerned with who a candidate is.
Republicans believe that McCain having survived being a POW means his character is strong and resilient. Logically, he will be strong and resilient when facing America's "enemies." As far as who Obama is, Republicans have slammed him for being young and hopeful, character traits that logically will make him susceptible to being duped by America's enemies. Republicans have even gone so far as to lie that Obama is a Muslim, and therefore logically in league with America's enemies.
Democrats believe that Obama will do things to change what is currently bad about America. They believe he will stop the war in Iraq. They believe he will support universal health care, and help ordinary Americans live environmentally friendly lives. Since McCain doesn't talk about what he's planning to do differently, Democrats logically assume it will be 4 more years of Bush. Democrats were slow, at first, to defend Obama against McCain's attacks on his character (ie: that he wasn't Christian enough, or patriotic enough), because they were more concerned with all the good things Obama was talking about doing, if he were elected. It took them a while to realize that not everyone cared about Obama's policies, and to start trumpeting Obama's good character.
I am truly sorry that McCain suffered the things he did. But if this had any effect on his character, I think it has only made him more embittered, and more likely to continue America's current trend of seeing everyone else as enemies. Obama, on the other hand, is already loved worldwide, and I believe he has the potential to truly "reach across the aisle" and restore relationships with so many of the countries that America has antagonized and estranged. And if he manages to provide me with universal healthcare, and an electric car, so much the better!
posted by Jeffrey Stuart Martin on Sunday, September 14, 2008
1 Comments:
Jeff, thank you for this insightful musing about the differences between republicans and democrats! Would you mind if I passed it along to some friends and family (fully giving you the credit) by e-mail?
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