Some Debate Thoughts

There were two things McCain said that I thought were unbelievable and really showed his true attitudes.

While talking about Obama’s statements regarding crossing the Pakistan border to get members of Al Qaeda, McCain condescendingly stated that this was proof of Obama’s naïve and dangerous lack of experience. However, what was most fascinating, and something that has not been picked up in any press reports that I have read, was McCains statement that (and this may not be an exact quote) “You just don’t say that kind of thing out loud. You do what you have to do…” McCain indicated there that he was willing to lie to the American people. Basically what he said was I’m going to do what ever I want but I’m not going to tell anyone about it (much less the leaders of the countries that are being violated.

The second, and again something that has not been discussed in the press, was McCain’s most amazing statement during the whole debate. That is when he stated that Obama was like Bush in his stubbornness and inflexibility. This was an unbelievable statement coming McCain of all people. It also revealed that McCain gravely misjudges the character of his opponents. He misjudged Bush (several times) and he is misjudging Obama. To claim that Obama is not flexible in his thinking and is alike to the Bush administration’s unprecedented exclusion of ideas and adherence to ideology (something by the way that all of the republicans believed was a virtue – showing that he had principles). This revealed that McCain is a lousy judge of character.
McCain’s performance as a candidate. His adoption of Rovian tactics – that is to attack the virtues of the opponent as if they are the problem, his willingness to lie (his adviser’s company getting 15,000/month from Fannie Mae among many others), and his inconsistent positions on several issues – veteran’s benefits, the Iraq war, not knowing the difference between Shiite and Sunni, blindness to the ethnic cleansing of Iraq, being against the Bush tax cuts and now being for them, and many other issues all indicated that he has a serious credibility problem.

In addition to these issues, I was astounded to find out that Obama supported a missle defense system, illegal attacks on individuals within sovereign nations, and further warlike talk regarding other nations.

I have been deeply disappointed that these candidates have not been asked direct questions these debates about constituational threats to civil liberties, Extraordinary Rendition, Guantanomo Bay, torture, illegal wiretapping, and the Patriot Act. To me these are the most important issues of our time. Important because they have been the ideals of the USA and what guarantee our freedoms and what has led to the 20th century positive regard of the world. I want to hear Obama and McCain talk about his, and especially to hear Obama say he is going to reverse all of these horrible policies and to hear McCain try to defend them. Its like the ideology of the Federation in Star Trek - you act as a model for others and don't impose your ideology on them. The model you present is what acts as the catalyst for change - much as Ghandi and Martin Luther have represented. This is the path that Bush/Cheney etc... have completely destroyed and substituted imperialism/crusadism.

Finally, I feel the need to add here something to update my thinking about the economic crisis. The idea of allowing the economy to fail, to what ever degree it has, is a golden opportunity for us to really make a difference. The bail out is a bandaid that may last for some time but we will eventually be back into the same problem. The reason is that the fundamentals of the economy are flawed and especially when you get free market capitalists and corporate control of the goverment (and media). Obama has a great opportunity to raise this issue and really run with it. He can talk about returning the US to properity that is rational and slow moving rather than the idea of a rapid growth. In addition, the whole ideology of the free market can now be so obviously seen as flawed and that the federal goverment is really the only power that balances corporate/business interests. Rahl Emmanuel said it fairly well in his post financial legislation agreement press conference today. However the point needs to be made strenuously and with a ferver that will turn the entire financial/corporate/business ideology around.