Sunday, October 19, 2008

Freedom of Choice

The Cleveland Plain Dealer has endorsed Obama.

I'm not really surprised, but one just never knows. And maybe others know this - but I am unaware of how much cache a newspaper endorsement holds. I don't know how, or if, it translates into actual votes. There might be statistics on this, but I'm not willing to do the research.

Cleveland and Cuyahoga county are big Democratic strongholds, so it might not mean a thing. If Obama carries the state, it will be on Cuyahoga and Franklin counties coattails. We have been a reddish state for almost the last decade (longer if you count governors), and it would nice to be blue. But in reality we will be purple.

As much at the editorial board saw a need for change, they took a few swipes at McCain. You can read the entire PD endorsement here if you'd like, but I thought I'd take the time to post what I thought were the highlights:

We salute McCain as an exemplary citizen and a Washington rebel. But as a presidential nominee, McCain has been a disappointment. He was late to understand the primacy of economic pain. He has failed even to define a rationale for a McCain presidency. Experience is useful, but it's not vision.

In their first debate, McCain haughtily said that Obama did not understand the difference between strategy and tactics. His campaign suggests that he doesn't, either.

Take his selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. McCain seemed too caught up in the game-changing possibilities of teaming with a woman reformer to scratch the smiling surface. Had he, McCain might have realized that Palin is utterly unprepared for the job he offered -- let alone the one that might fall to her. His trust in her undermines our trust in him.

Trust is essential to the presidency. Americans want to believe that the chief executive understands their lives, will protect their interests and will not compromise their safety. They want a president who represents what America can be, not what it has been.


Ouchy!!!

CNN had a poll at their on-line site, and while not scientific, it shows that most folks have made their final decision.
Yet here we are - having to wait 18 more days to find out. 18 more days of bad late night jokes. 18 more days of robo-calls. 18 more days of ad after ad after ad.

Of course, it will be over soon, just not soon enough. Hopefully there will be something to celebrate.



Song by: Devo

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