As a part of my agency, we own a teleprompter. Teleprompters are marvelous devices – even someone who can’t memorize their own name can look into the camera lens and read a script. It’s a great invention, but what it can do is to make someone who can act – but can’t think on their feet – seem as though they are something they are not. That’s why debates and interviews can be so revealing. And so it was at the Saddleback Church event. We’ve already learned that Senator Obama can give a great speech. We knew that at the last DNC convention, where he first emerged on the national stage. But giving speeches might help get you elected, but they won’t do much for you when you are being judged on your ability to make decisions that can affect the future of the world.
Let’s face it – Barack got pummelled by Senator McCain last week. McCain looked personable (!), articulate, and on his game. Obama looked out of his depth – tentative, wishy-washy, and uncertain. I suppose his handlers believed that keeping the candidates apart would insulate them from revealing Obabma’s real weakness – he doesn’t do well without a script. Didn’t work. He still looked like a not-ready-for-prime-time candidate.
I listened to Obama – carefully. Keep in mind, I’m no huge fan of McCain. He was literally my last choice among the Republicans running – and that’s saying something. The thing is, for all his flaws, McCain is still ideologically light years closer to my own views than is Obama. In listening to The Chosen One of the Dems, I was struck by something – he comes across as a nice, sincere guy. But once you get past the rock star nonsense, he really doesn’t like to get pinned down on specifics.
Compare and contrast the two candidates answers on “when does life begin?” McCain unequivocably stated “at the moment of conception.” Hard to call that anything but definite, decisive, and dramatic. Barack? Not so much. He weaved and wavered, dipped and jived. But he never really answered.
So my opinions were confirmed. From what I hear, many democrats’ found Obama’s performance alarming. So far, so good. WIth the news media largely in the tank for Obama, it’s refreshing to think that something can cut through the groupthink and shake their confidence. However, there’s one more takeaway from this debate that I’d like to suggest was pretty important – too important to overlook.
In this age of political polarization, it’s almost easier to simply villify the oposition than it is to listen to them. In a sound byte society, complete comdemnation and hate are far easier positions to take than thoughtful analysis and honest differences of opinions. And that’s a huge problem – for both parties.
You see, it’s important to realize that, just because he’s a liberal and a democrat, Obama is not automatically wrong about everything. Case in point, he believes that good teachers should be rewarded financially – a position that is diametrically opposed to that of his party. (I’d site an issue of McCain bucking the party line, but there are too many to mention.) The important thing is not that Obama is swimming against the liberal tide – it’s that there are things (few things, I’ll admit) on which I agree with Obama. Now I don’t agree with his solutions, but it’s essential to note that sometimes liberals and conservatives can agree (at the very least) on a problem.
Frankly, I was naieve to think that the one upside of McCain getting the GOP nod would be that we’d at least have a candidate that the left wouldn’t villify. No such luck. From the way the lefties talk, you’d think that McCain is the second coming of George Bush or Ronald Regan. And that’s a pity.
I think we’d be better off – and stand a much better chance of getting the better candidate elected – if we could all start debating the issues, and abandon the “I hate the opposition and it’s candidate” mentality that is so pervasive. After all, if you really stop and listen, you might learn something. I know I did.
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