McCain vs. Obama on Global Leadership

Could article

I have a lot of faith in Obama but have very little in the average American voter. Remember its American stupidity that elected Bush twice. These very Americans hurt THEMSELVES with their own selection. Now many of them believe the country is headed in the wrong direction. It does not compute that they would even consider McCain. McCain is trying to adopt Obamas change message. He says if you want change vote Republican....again? It just doesnt make any sense.

amen. ideas do matter.

we rest on the thoughtful shoulders of what our forefathers built. that's being spent and burnt down brick by brick.

4 more just to repeat the last 8?

i don't think so.

enough.

Prior to McCain's choice of running mate I believed he was a principled man, even though I often disagreed with his "principles". However, since his choice of Sarah Palin for the Republican VP candidate, I believe he has shown his "principles" are available to whomever or whatever group he considers his base - in this case the extreme right-wing, conservatives.
I find his choice to be insulting. If he truly wanted to have a female running mate, there are so many QUALIFIED, intelligent women that he could have chosen.
I am so disappointed in him!

Actually, both Obama and McCain are pro- "clean coal" which is very sad indeed. However, Obama is still the better choice for the environment.

Of course you would feel that Obama is a better choice. The world is tired of the USA being the biggest and the best Nation in the world. They favor Obama because they want to bumb the USA from it's throne. A weak, rhetoric filled Obama would be the ideal leader to hand over the keys to the White House. I am left with the impression you would be standing by his side smilling all the time please with how much the rest of the world likes us.

You mention that McCain would be better off dropping Palin from the ticket. Again you would like that as it would make his bid for the Presidency less likely.

Were you constantly bullied as a child?Are you so inferior that you constantly worry how you are perceived?

Leaders are out front taking the arrows as they blaze new trails. They don't sit back in the safety that has been provided to them by those leaders complaining about how the trail is being blazed.

IN RESPONSE TO MR HAMM'S THOUGHT ON OBAMA AND MCCAIN. MANY THINGS HE TALKS ABOUT ARE MORE THAN LIKELY TRUE, EXCEPT THE DISCUSSION ON WHO WOULD BE ACCEPTED IN THE WORLD COMMUNITY. ANY PERSON WITH A MILITARY BACKGROUND WILL AGREE YOUR ENEMY ARE THE ONES WHO WILL EMBRACE YOU JUST BECAUSE THEY KNOW YOU ARE WEAK. THE COUNTRIES WHO WOULD LIKE OBAMA ARE THOSE THE ONES WE WOULD TRUST THE LEAST. COMMUNIST COUNTRIES WOULD LOVE FOR AMERICA TO HAVE A WEAK PRESIDENT. THE ISLAMIC COUNTRIES WOULD LOVE HIM MORE. IN MY OPINION IF OBAMA IS ELECTED WE WILL HAVE MORE TERRORISM.

I couldn't agree more. 8 years ago I switched parties to vote for John McCain in the primary because he possessed the intellect and the backbone to do the right thing rather than the expedient thing. I liked his ability to be a maverick amidst the on-message, party-line politicians. What frightens me most about his choice of Palin is that he's trying to pretend she's a maverick's choice when her 'platform,' if you can call it that, seems to be no more than slick quotes from the ultra-right playbook. We've had eight years of a president who's perspectives and understanding is so limited that he's put America on the path to global irrelevance. It would be nice to have someone in office -- in both chairs of the executive branch -- who actually understands what they're talking about.

That is presicely what you democrats are afraid of, Sarah Palin. She will not be dropped and we will win!!!.

you are out to lunch palin is the best thing for this country obama isnt even on our side

You are condeming Palin without giving her a chance. Remember Truman, he was an inexperienced hick, but look what he did. Everyone learns, and Palin is sharp and willing. With larger exposure she will gain the knowledge she needs, and frankly McCain has as good or better chance to live out 8 years of presidency. Check the statistics. Give Palin 2 weeks and see what happens.

Sarah Palin has created a fresh inspiration to the Republican party. She and John McCain together give the Country new hope.

I'm so very surprised as to the many Republican supporters pouncing on Obama for not having the experience but excusing Palin for having no experience. I bet she's a quick learner, but I fail to see how she's equipped to run as VP, and possibly as President since McCain is quite old. McCain may be similar in age to Regan when Regan accepted office but with his cancer issues, coupled with his POW experience, I can't help but think he's not physically going to make it.

I also think highly of McCain for his POW experience but do NOT think it makes him a candidate for the presidential seat. Check out what a fellow POW comrade (who spent a longer time as a POW - 8 years) said about McCain: http://www.military.com/opinion/0,15202,164859_1,00.html.dk

I highly recommend comparing Bush against McCain's speeches and you'll notice a lot of similarities. I really don't understand how people can forget the past 8 years....

I truly hope Obama wins. I can't take the same Republicans running the same ol' show for 4 more years. But I'm enlightened when I see that many woman are not falling for this 'gender' bait by the Republicans (we're not stupid, we want a fully qualified woman in office, not someone picked for their gender) and I've seen quite a few older folks changing their votes to Obama.

The United States is not as strong as it proclaims to be.It is failing to produce economic oppurtunity,working class people are being taken advantage of, real wages in certain sectors have remained static for about thirty years.
As worker productivity incresed, real wages did not.
False wealth was created through real estate loans,now that fake form of wealth creation is crumbling.
The country has lost a tremendous amount of respect overseas largely due to it's foreign policy.

we are tired of the old people rulling us all over the world.
obama, irrespective of his race is a better person.he has been a leader right from school days,its in him he still has so much shock absorbers in his heart and head than mccain.
macain is old and wld take so much for granted and wld kill the economy the more by so not following up. cos he hasnt got the strenght to line up and follow issues.

Of course Obama is embraced by other world leaders. He is non-threatening and appears he will let nations who embrace terrorists & laugh at UN sanctions continue with business as usual while they hold "talks" with President Obama.

McCain is his own man, he is not a clone of Bush. He acts from his convictions, even when it is unpopular. I like that his values remain constant and he has a good understanding of our role on the world stage.

McCain's choice of Sarah Palin says he values someone who will not be intimidated by the the power-players in Washington. She is not perfect, she is not an "insider", and she is not that experienced. But I am willing to learn what McCain sees in her ability to do this job.

McCain/Palin have my vote.

One thing I don't understand is how so many people can follow a person who was always present for voting on many domestic issues, but chose not to. Do you really want a president that can't decide whether to vote "yea" or "nay." I mean come on, do we really want someone that has no idea what to do when the country is going downhill...If Obama can't make a simple voting decision, how will he decide the faith of the good 'ol USA? We all want change, we all wish the best, but do we really need a preacher? Or someone who's been there and knows what to do. One thing I do agree on is McCain's age, I want to vote for him, but I'm afraid he may not last in office and I'm still skeptical on Sarah Palin, but so far I like her better than Hilary.

How can anyone actually trust Obama? What has he done to prove to us he is a suitable leader for this country. So what if McCain chose a woman for a running mate? She is very qualified and is someone we can relate to. The problem is most women have an issue with other powerful women. How can we the American people put someone into office with very little experience and expect them to lead our country? Choose the man who has proved his commitment to our country and a woman who will be there for us.

I feel Sarah Palin is great addition to McCain ticket. He is also much more qualifed than the "Citizen of the World" Obama.
Obama made us look like idiots in Europe. My whole family and all my friends feel that way also. I don't know what you see in Obama. He will bring our country to ruin with his crazy ideas.
Besides anybody maybe even Putin can change his mind in a flash that is the only "Change" he will make. And first of all who wants to vote for a guy that is for aborting children. Maybe a woman that hates her children says on TV I want free birth control. What a shame!

I feel Sarah Palin is great addition to McCain ticket. He is also much more qualifed than the "Citizen of the World" Obama.
Obama made us look like idiots in Europe. My whole family and all my friends feel that way also. I don't know what you see in Obama. He will bring our country to ruin with his crazy ideas.
Besides anybody maybe even Putin can change his mind in a flash that is the only "Change" he will make. And first of all who wants to vote for a guy that is for aborting children. Maybe a woman that hates her children says on TV I want free birth control. What a shame!

Obama continues to retreat from any position worth voting for. It will take a major crisis to bring significant change. The mortgage crisis continues to intensify, and will have significant effects on consumer spending of all kinds. The other possibilities for triggers are insurgents over-running the Green Zone and Iran sinking all of our ships in the Gulf of Hormuz.

The wallet of the average American is being diced up in the cheese slicer called "A Ridiculous Price for a Barrel of Oil." Please, responsible environmentalists, have a heart for struggling workers! The short term should entertain ideas such as drilling every drop of oil the U.S. can, and driving the price into the ground. At a minimum, this helps Americans in the worst economy of a lifetime, and also steals a great deal away from oil-rich dictators, the types who regularly torture their citizens. At the same time, we can throw great resources at a long-term strategy of doing things very differently. Keep in mind, an elephant does not turn on a dime. Do not think people who understand this reality are "great abusers of the environment." We just do not want the country to die an economic death due to $200 oil.

I don't see anyone making major changes affecting global trade. Major changes now mean making China, India, Mexico, or others mad. What politician today takes risks. None.

The US has lost influence in the world. However, the average US citizen works a high stress job, has trouble with the bills, and worries about their health and filling their gas tank. Our leaders need to address the peoples' concerns as a priority. If you are voting for "world influence" seems to me your concerns deny your neighbors' plight.

The main problem with American's and their politicians is that the majority choose a side and then try and fight the other side. This doesn't help America and makes people stupid. Because 99% of Americans would not agree with 100% of the candidates ideas/stands. It would be much healthier to have heated discussions about all the important topics. Not just amongst politicians, but among the average American.
Both candidates should do a better job than Bush Jr., but regardless of who will win, the winner will need to be help and pushed to make good decision for America. And the pushing should be coming from the average American. More organizations like One.org need to be started to help mobilize pressure on those with the power.
There's my 2-cents.

Thought you would like to see some thoughts from Prof. John Grey of the London School of Economics:

"We are back to great-power politics, shifting alliances and spheres of influence. The difference is that the west is no longer in charge. With their different histories and sometimes sharply conflicting interests, Russia, China, India and the Gulf states are not going to form any kind of bloc. But it is these countries that are shaping world development at the start of the 21st century. The US - its bankrupt mortgage institutions nationalised and its gigantic war machine effectively funded by foreign borrowing - is in steep decline. With its financial system in the worst mess since the 1930s, the west's ability to shape events is dwindling by the day. Sermonising about "law-based international relations" is laughable after Iraq, and at bottom not much more than nostalgia for a vanished hegemony."

I think it is safe to say that 51 percent of Americans are stupid...afterall they voted for BUSH...now if MaCain wins, it shows that they are even more stupid than I thought. I cannot belief that an advance nation like America has people (republicans) who will vote the minute you hear words like, "terrorist, fear, GOD". USA is not a safe country beccause of Republicans. BTW, Sara Palin loves gun and doesn't hasitate to shoot baby polo bears.

let's see...$400-plus billion deficit (in fact, every president against Reagan has run up a deficit ACCEPT the only democratic president, Clinton, who had a SURPLUS)...ballooning loan from China...take home income that would decrease under McCain and increase under Obama, according to an independent tax center analysis...declining pay raises...constant layoffs....higher food, gas and energy costs...higher healthcare premiums...taxes that are going to a $10 billion-a-month unexplained war in Iraq and bailing out irresponsible companies rather than helping old ladies pay their health care costs...a religious zealot VP candidate who wants ownership of my ovaries...a world that's hoping we'll choose Obama over McCain...a very aged presidential candidate who flip-flops from being the steady boat who is going to help us in these rocky times to a man of "change"--a three-branch government that's largely been dominated by Republicans, even while they claim to want to "shake up Washington."...I could go on and on. Yep, if we end up with McCain/Pain, we are incredibly stupid, STUPID people, and get exactly what we deserve. I'M OUTRAGED AND YOU SHOULD BE TOO.

For me, this surreal moment - like the entire surrealism of the past ten days - is not really about Sarah Palin or Barack Obama or pigs or fish or lipstick. It's about John McCain. The one thing I always thought I knew about him is that he is a decent and honest person. When he knows, as every sane person must, that Obama did not in any conceivable sense mean that Sarah Palin is a pig, what did he do? Did he come out and say so and end this charade? Or did he acquiesce in and thereby enable the mindless Rovianism that is now the core feature of his campaign?

So far, he has let us all down. My guess is he will continue to do so. And that decision, for my part, ends whatever respect I once had for him. On core moral issues, where this man knew what the right thing was, and had to pick between good and evil, he chose evil. When he knew that George W. Bush's war in Iraq was a fiasco and catastrophe, and before Donald Rumsfeld quit, McCain endorsed George W. Bush against his fellow Vietnam vet, John Kerry in 2004. By that decision, McCain lost any credibility that he can ever put country first. He put party first and his own career first ahead of what he knew was best for the country.

And when the Senate and House voted overwhelmingly to condemn and end the torture regime of Bush and Cheney in 2006, McCain again had a clear choice between good and evil, and chose evil.

He capitulated and enshrined torture as the policy of the United States, by allowing the CIA to use techniques as bad as and worse than the torture inflicted on him in Vietnam. He gave the war criminals in the White House retroactive immunity against the prosecution they so richly deserve. The enormity of this moral betrayal, this betrayal of his country's honor, has yet to sink in. But for my part, it now makes much more sense. He is not the man I thought he was.

And when he had the chance to engage in a real and substantive debate against the most talented politician of the next generation in a fall campaign where vital issues are at stake, what did McCain do? He began his general campaign with a series of grotesque, trivial and absurd MTV-style attacks on Obama's virtues and implied disgusting things about his opponent's patriotism.

And then, because he could see he was going to lose, ten days ago, he threw caution to the wind and with no vetting whatsoever, picked a woman who, by her decision to endure her own eight-month pregnancy of a Down Syndrome child in public, that he was going to reignite the culture war as a last stand against Obama. That's all that is happening right now: a massive bump in the enthusiasm of the Christianist base. This is pure Rove.

Yes, McCain made a decision that revealed many appalling things about him. In the end, his final concern is not national security. No one who cares about national security would pick as vice-president someone who knows nothing about it as his replacement. No one who cares about this country's safety would gamble the security of the world on a total unknown because she polled well with the Christianist base. No person who truly believed that the surge was integral to this country's national security would pick as his veep candidate a woman who, so far as we can tell anything, opposed it at the time.

For me, this surreal moment - like the entire surrealism of the past ten days - is not really about Sarah Palin or Barack Obama or pigs or fish or lipstick. It's about John McCain. The one thing I always thought I knew about him is that he is a decent and honest person. When he knows, as every sane person must, that Obama did not in any conceivable sense mean that Sarah Palin is a pig, what did he do? Did he come out and say so and end this charade? Or did he acquiesce in and thereby enable the mindless Rovianism that is now the core feature of his campaign?

So far, he has let us all down. My guess is he will continue to do so. And that decision, for my part, ends whatever respect I once had for him. On core moral issues, where this man knew what the right thing was, and had to pick between good and evil, he chose evil. When he knew that George W. Bush's war in Iraq was a fiasco and catastrophe, and before Donald Rumsfeld quit, McCain endorsed George W. Bush against his fellow Vietnam vet, John Kerry in 2004. By that decision, McCain lost any credibility that he can ever put country first. He put party first and his own career first ahead of what he knew was best for the country.

And when the Senate and House voted overwhelmingly to condemn and end the torture regime of Bush and Cheney in 2006, McCain again had a clear choice between good and evil, and chose evil.

He capitulated and enshrined torture as the policy of the United States, by allowing the CIA to use techniques as bad as and worse than the torture inflicted on him in Vietnam. He gave the war criminals in the White House retroactive immunity against the prosecution they so richly deserve. The enormity of this moral betrayal, this betrayal of his country's honor, has yet to sink in. But for my part, it now makes much more sense. He is not the man I thought he was.

And when he had the chance to engage in a real and substantive debate against the most talented politician of the next generation in a fall campaign where vital issues are at stake, what did McCain do? He began his general campaign with a series of grotesque, trivial and absurd MTV-style attacks on Obama's virtues and implied disgusting things about his opponent's patriotism.

And then, because he could see he was going to lose, ten days ago, he threw caution to the wind and with no vetting whatsoever, picked a woman who, by her decision to endure her own eight-month pregnancy of a Down Syndrome child in public, that he was going to reignite the culture war as a last stand against Obama. That's all that is happening right now: a massive bump in the enthusiasm of the Christianist base. This is pure Rove.

Yes, McCain made a decision that revealed many appalling things about him. In the end, his final concern is not national security. No one who cares about national security would pick as vice-president someone who knows nothing about it as his replacement. No one who cares about this country's safety would gamble the security of the world on a total unknown because she polled well with the Christianist base. No person who truly believed that the surge was integral to this country's national security would pick as his veep candidate a woman who, so far as we can tell anything, opposed it at the time.

Mark Anthony-- Thank you for posting this.
It's the saddest thing I've read in years because it's so true.

In eight years one administration has castrated us. Destroyed our world standing. Disgraced our Constitution. Ruined our economy and made U.S. the laughing stock of the world.

In only eight years. I want to cry!

Mark Anthony-- Thank you for posting this.
It's the saddest thing I've read in years because it's so true.

In eight years one administration has castrated us. Destroyed our world standing. Disgraced our Constitution. Ruined our economy and made U.S. the laughing stock of the world.

In only eight years. I want to cry!

Clearly the Bush years have degraded the U.S. standing in the world.
The era of Pax Americana is OVER! McCain's statement that victory is at hand has been contradicted this A.M. by "The outgoing commander of US troops in Iraq, Gen David Petraeus, has said that he will never declare victory there" (per the BBC website).
As for the rough patch we're going through it reminds me of the old gag "What's the difference between a recession & a depression? It's a recession when your neighbor is out of work & a depression when you're out of work."
As for Palin it's amazing that she was charging Alaska $60 per day for living in her OWN house. Will she pick that up as rental income?

In the Bill Oreilly interview of Barack Obama, regarding the discussion
about Obama's energy plan, in response to Bill asking
Barack, what if the development of alternate energy
sources don't deliver. Obama compared his approach
to John Kennedy's space program, and how if you go
for it , the answers will come. But, the distinction between
our space program and our energy challenge is ... If it had taken
us longer than we thought to get to the moon ... or, if we hadn't
gotten to the moon ... no big deal. But, if we put all our hopes
into alternative energy, and it doesn't happen in time ... or, if
it doesn't work, our entire economy, as well as our national
security could end up in ruins. Our country's entire energy
infrastructure revolves around petroleum. All the gast stations,
all the vehicles. Democrats keep citing how long it will take
to get more oil out of the ground. But, even if an alternative
fuel is found tomorrow, how long will it take America to
transition from our existing infrastructure to a completely
new one? In the meantime, people have to get to work, and
goods have to get to market. This is an important reason to
secure our energy needs with oil drilling and mining oil shale,
while we try to develop alternate energy. Obama and
Pelosi also want to dip into the strategic oil reserve, as a way
of pandering to voters, but what if we have a true emergency,
like Hurricane Ike, or Hugo Chavez cuts us off, or Amadinajad
cripples the straits of Hormuz? Obama seems to be
playing fast and loose with our country's future ... gambling
with our future, all based on hope and faith ... with consequences
which could be dire. Obama's plans, or lack thereof, are
extremely irresponsible. Not suprising from a candidate who
does not have the experience, qualifications, or judgement to lead, as
President of the United States.

Look America!
I am not interesting in political party fighting game but this is the time that every American should be awaken to think at least once right in this totally confused oceans of opinion.
First of all, compare who truly have the excellent characteristics as a leader of this great nation?
Second, if you listen carefully what they say, it is obvious that one is always mumbles and changes his points and the other is very genuine and proved the great leadership.
Please America, look who is more excellent individual that we can trust for our lives on his hand or the flake who luckily ride up the instant fame and backed by Hollywood mentality.
Maybe I don't agree about some of their issues but as a age of 45, I can tell who is genuine and better leader and who is fake and just power hungry.
America wake up!

According to the New York Times, Democrats blocked Bush’s Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac reforms so low income people with bad credit could buy houses.
''These two entities -Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac - are not facing any kind of financial crisis. The more people exaggerate these problems, the more pressure there is on these companies, and the less we will see in terms of affordable housing.'' said Representative Barney Frank of Massachusetts, the ranking Democrat on the Financial Services Committee.
http://strategicthought-charles77.blogspot.com/2008/09/democrats-blocked-bushs-fannie-mae-and.html