Great Ad

[mandysee_mandydo]

This is the kind of campaign ad I like to see. It sticks to issues and proposes solutions. There's no mudslinging. It's not "Candidate X is an America-hating doodie-head. Vote for me! Woohoo God Bless America!"

Comments

[zeppelinmage.livejournal.com]

This may be the first election I ever vote Democrat.

Registered Independent, but I've voted Republican almost every time. ...except 2008, it seems. ;)

[srturtle.livejournal.com]

Holy crap! That's cool! I'm not sure if you are familiar with Wick Allison (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wick_Allison), but he's the owner of D Magazine and a former publisher of the National Review. He's a conservative. He recently wrote a great piece on why he as a conservative Republican is voting for Obama (http://www.dmagazine.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?nm=Core+Pages&type=gen&mod=Core+Pages&tier=3&gid=B33A5C6E2CF04C9596A3EF81822D9F8E). It's a great read!

I often hear the old mantra that Democrats are tax and spend liberals. Perhaps that's true, but at least the spending is offset by a revenue. What I've seen from the Republicans over the past eight years is a cut and spend attitude. They're spending more than Democrats ever did (let's remember that for six years of Bush's presidency he had a Republican-controlled Congress) and they cut taxes so there wasn't offsetting revenue to cover the expenses. Now we're trillions in debt as a nation after having a very healthy surplus.

I can't honestly look at what has happened over the past eight years and call that conservative by any stretch of the imagination. Add to that the dangerous and invasive social conservatism that the mainstream Republicans have been pushing and I wonder where the real Republicans that believe in smaller government staying out of our private lives and reducing spending went and how the current crowd a la Bush and McCain came to power. If Libertarians weren't so wacky-crazy with their ideas on education I would seriously consider voting for them more often!

[zeppelinmage.livejournal.com]

That's a really cool article. :D If my dad wasn't so stubborn and thick-headed, I'd send it off to him. But I suspect it would just generate backlash. Oh well.

The thing most people don't realize is the office of the President is more figurehead than leader. That's why Reagan was such a great President. He -was- the office (even though his policies weren't always successful).

Obama is definitely a personality that the American people can rally around. A charismatic (young!) leader that we've needed for a long time. Sure, Clinton was charismatic... but he used it differently.

[srturtle.livejournal.com]

lol about Clinton!

I wouldn't entirely look at the President as figurehead, and this much is apparent at the way Bush and Cheney have been abusing the power of executive comments to circumvent legislation. That's how Bush got away with the veto-less record for so long. But you are right in that the President has to be charismatic and work to unite and build consensus. The President can't be a divider or condescending or say "my way or the highway." I see McCain and I see someone who throws a fit if things don't go his way and asks for a time-out or says anything to save face. I see Obama and I see someone who works to find common ground and respects others and keeps going even if things go to hell in a hand basket. I agree that of the two, Obama is definitely a much better consensus builder and leader. He has vision and sees the bigger picture. McCain is very short-term and reactionary.

[zeppelinmage.livejournal.com]

Indeed. You're much better at putting your thoughts "on paper" than I am. LOL.

I was really impressed with the debate last night. (I saw clips of it on Fox News this morning before heading to work), and you're right. McCain is reactionary and changes things for immediate effect. And Obama definitely has a longer term vision.

And the whole "I'm not debating so I can deal with the bailout" thing is silly, too. I mean, what President ever said, "Oh, I'll just skip that press conference so I can preside over this bill"?

Bueller? Bueller?

[srturtle.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the compliment. :) I just for some reason feel more comfortable with the written/typed word so it flows better. I got what you were saying. ;) I'm loving this conversation!

Sadly I missed a lot of the debate as I was working and unable to even listen in, but what little I caught was really good. I'm certain the "not going to the debates" thing was very much a political ploy to look better to voters and it backfired. The sad thing is his campaign is trying it again with the VP debates. *sigh*

[zeppelinmage.livejournal.com]

Not to mention the questionable tactics of naming his VP in the first place. I mean, I'm fairly certain she wasn't named because of any inherent skill, only because of her sex.

It's happening with Obama, too. People are supporting him only because of his race. But at least he has the skill/vision/leadership to actually be a good choice. (Granted, I don't support "racism" in any form, even this.)

The thing I'm getting most is that Obama is energizing the country. McCain isn't. He's just the same ol' same ol'.

[srturtle.livejournal.com]

Yeah, totally. I don't think Palin is stupid. She's a smart woman, but she's in over her head. She's very obviously overwhelmed. She went from being a big fish in a small pond to swimming in the ocean with the sharks and not knowing she can bop them in the nose and they'll go away. The RNC made it very obvious she was chosen simply to capitalize on the women voters.

I am of the mind that a candidate should be elected based on their skills, ideas, thoughts, and ability to lead. Candidates should not be chosen because of gender, race, religion, or because they seem like the kind of person you might want to invite to a cookout or hang out with at the pub. Is it exciting that we're looking at history either way, whether it's an African-American President or a woman Vice President? You bet! Is it the deciding factor? Absolutely not!

I absolutely agree with you that Obama has the ability to energize and mobilize. McCain is very definitely the same ol' same ol'.

[zeppelinmage.livejournal.com]

McCains's forced smile also gets on my nerves. Obama smiles when it's genuine. McCain seems to think it's a requirement after everything he says.

It just looks, to me, that Obama has more honesty and integrity than McCain has. If only by body language.

[srturtle.livejournal.com]

Indeed!