Posted on 09/25/2008 12:27:08 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
THERE'S A REASON voters in presidential races tend to shy away from electing senators. The primary skills of a legislator--talking, compromising, "representing"--are different from those of an executive--deciding, choosing, "executing." There are individuals who have the ability both to deliberate patiently and act energetically--but it's a rare combination. The best legislators tend not to be great executives, and vice-versa.
This year, for the first time in U.S. history, both major party nominees for president are sitting senators. The winner may be the one who can convince some portion of the electorate that he's less "senatorial," and more "presidential," than the other.
That's why McCain's action Wednesday--announcing he would come back to Washington to try to broker a deal to save our financial system--could prove so important. The rescue package that was so poorly crafted and defended by the Bush administration seemed to be sliding toward defeat. The presidential candidates were on the sidelines, carping and opining and commenting. But one of them, John McCain, intervened suddenly and boldly, taking a risk in order to change the situation, and to rearrange the landscape.
Of course his motives were partly election-related. But "the interest of the man must be connected with the constitutional rights of the place." If candidate McCain, for whatever mixed motives, ends up acting in a way that results in a deal that is viewed as better than the original proposal, and that seems to stabilize the markets and avert a meltdown--he'll benefit politically, and he deserves to. For McCain will have acted presidentially in the campaign--which some voters, quite reasonably, will think speaks to his qualifications to be president.
As for the question of Friday night's debate, which some in the media seem to think more important than saving the financial system--if the negotiations are still going on in D.C., McCain should offer to send Palin to debate Obama! Or he can take a break from the meetings, fly down at the last minute himself, and turn a boring foreign policy debate, in which he and Obama would repeat well-rehearsed arguments, into a discussion about leadership and decisiveness. And if the negotiations are clearly on a path to success, then McCain can say he can now afford to leave D.C., fly down, and the debate would become a victory lap for McCain.
So the action of these few days becomes more important than the talk of that hour and a half Friday night. One could even say the contrast between the two men in action becomes the true debate over who should be president. The media, being talkers and debaters, love debates, overestimate their importance, and are underestimating the possible effect of McCain's dramatic action. In the debate itself, McCain should mock the media's greater concern for gabbing than solving our economic problems, and should associate Obama with such a talk-heavy media-type approach to politics. If the race is between an energetic executive and an indecisive talker, the energetic executive should win.
McCain should offer to send Palin to debate Obama!
bttt
“..associate Obama with such a talk-heavy media-type approach to politics”
I bet Obamachev doesn’t have a lot of influence in his own Dem caucus being a freshman. Even though McCain is annoying, I bet he could sway Dems and Republicans.
I would even go so far as to say Master debaters.
Bill Kristol: “A Presidential McCain - McCain’s bold move could reframe the election—and win it”
Said the same thing about Palin pick as VP. Bill is easily impressed by McCain.
What has Senator Obama done to impress you?
Lol, and thats all I got to say.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
He always has been. He was clearly in the McCain camp back in 2000. Still, he’s a perty smart cookie
I hope he’s right, more importantly I hope we get the right bill, I don’t know what experts they have working on it, I certainly don’t expect pols to understand how to fix the mess. I don’t know myself, but I do always seek out the best minds when I have a problem, and a check of what has worked historically. That’s why I would rather be governed by 535 “uneducated” people from the phone book with common sense.
Always better to read something from Bill Kristol than to have to listen to that annoying voice of his. I always find myself wanting to go Vito Corleone on him, “stop crying and act like a man”.
And I hope McCain comes out against the DEM plan and explain why....and NAME NAMES!
I don’t know how well she would do...Katie Couric stumped her a couple of times.
John McCain is like the world’s scariest, death-defying roller coaster....just when you think you’re going off the rails with him, the roller coaster slows to a velvety smooth landing.....
Agreed.
This election will be decided by Independents in 5-8 key swing states and they’re by and large paying attention and intelligent voters. I think this move by McCain will impress them as being decisive and focusing on the right priorities.
Meanwhile Obama is too busy prepping for a debate to be bothered....”Call me if you need me” is hardly a Presidential response to a crisis.
isn’t it interesting that joe “stand up, chuck” biden has been noticably quiet on the ‘crisis’ ?
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