January 30, 2008--Some Questions for You

Here I thought that I’d take a day of from typing about the political campaigns and instead comment about how New Yorkers are tightening their belts as a result of the faltering economy. You know, going to Petco to get their pooches groomed and spend just $65 rather that staying with the one in the Meatpacking District who charges $130. (See NY Times article linked below.)

But after last night’s results in Florida, which makes it all but certain that John McCain will win the Republican nomination, and with John Edwards about to withdraw, but without endorsing either Clinton or Obama, I realized that by next week at this time both nominations will be all but locked up. Won’t it be Clinton versus McCain? It’s hard to make the case that with just six days to go Obama, even with Carolyn Kennedy making TV ads for him, can stop the steamroller.

It will then be a fearsome choice—for a country that seemed, seemed to want change we’ll be faced with a choice between two consummate insiders. One who will say and do anything to get elected and the other who gets most gleeful when he contemplates the prospect of more wars—to quote him as I did yesterday, “lots of wars, my friends.”

Worse, that most gleeful of candidates could very easily become president.

If you feel that the Bush administration’s failures assure a Democratic victory in November, no matter the candidate, grapple with the following questions:

OK, if we are going for experience, who has more? Someone who has more years being first ladies than senator? Or someone who has had the experience of more than 20 years in the Senate, a distinguished career in the navy, not to mention five years of “experience” in the Hanoi Hilton? Take your pick.

And since there must be some residue of interest in change (though if these two are the nominees most of the now-excited young voters will revert to their political comas), which of the two will be able to do a better job of representing her or himself as a “change agent”?

Let me take a stab at answering this one—McCain.

He has been in trouble during primary season principally because right-wing Republicans, exemplified by the Ann Coulters and Rush Limbaughs, have railed against him as a liberal masquerading in conservative clothes. As evidence of this they cite his maverick leadership in support of bipartisan legislation to rein in campaign spending abuses (McCain-Feingold), immigration reform—they call it amnesty (Kennedy-McCain), and his audacity to cosponsor bills with that left-winger Joe Lieberman (who could turn out to be our next Secretary of State). They even suspect he might secretly be willing to tolerate a woman’s right to choose.

But it is this very contrarian behavior that makes him appealing to Independents. Straight-Talking McCain as contrasted with go-along, get-along Double-Talking Clinton.

And if you’re looking for authenticity and even likeability, who wins that one?

So you tell me who wins in November? I don’t know about you, but I’m checking to see if my passport’s still valid.