In the third and final Presidential debate for 2008, which was televised on Wednesday, October 15, 2008, Republican Senator John McCain finally showed “True Grit.” It was like watching the final bout of a heavyweight title fight, some sheer political pugilism with the underdog on the scorecard throwing some pretty good jabs; but once again, he was not able to land any solid blows or deliver that ‘haymaker’ or knock-out punch to buckle Barack Obama’s knees and sending him face first onto the canvas. In what has been described as one of the dirtiest and meanest Presidential political campaigns in American history with each side accusing the other of distorting the other’s record, lying, and dishonesty.
The last two weeks has seen its share of some of the lowest points, especially at Republican rallies featuring V.P. nominee Alaska Governor Sarah Palin who gets the crowds riled up and worked into a frenzy amid denunciations of “He doesn’t share our values, He is a friend of terrorists, He will raise taxes on the Middle Class, all amid the cries in the audience of, “Liar, Abomination, and Off with His Head.” Also, just as disturbing is a statement within the past week by longtime Civil Rights activist and elder statesman, Congressman John Lewis of Atlanta, GA who likened the activities of the McCain/Palin campaign’s racist attacks (albeit very subtly, if at that) to the character exhibited by former Jim Crow Segregationist, Governor George Wallace of Alabama. This is what it all has descended to with all the partisan name-calling but the stakes have never been higher with both Obama and McCain vying for this country’s highest office and leader of one of the most powerful nation’s on earth.
To Senator McCain’s credit, he did get in a memorable ‘zinger’ when he said to Barack Obama, “I’m not George Bush and if you wanted to run against President Bush you should have done so four years ago.” Perhaps for McCain, it is too little too late in this ‘Eleventh and a half hour’ of his run for the Presidency. Also, with the recent admittance of Vice-President into the hospital for the third time for his heart condition, this may raise concerns in the minds of the voters about John McCain’s overall health, age, and fitness to be Commander-in-Chief and the thought of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin running the country terrifies a lot of people of all political persuasions. John McCain is right when he says that he is not George Bush, but there are similarities. Several years ago, President Bush was criticized for focusing so much on the “War on Terror” that he essentially had no Domestic Policy.
Senator McCain had focused so much on keeping to troops in Iraq for as long as it takes, until ‘Victory is Won,’ caused him to be so preoccupied with that single goal, along with supporting “The Surge” that he became shortsighted when it came to the economy, too. In a very important way, this became an ‘Albatross’ for McCain because during one of the earlier Republican Presidential Primary debates, Senator McCain was asked a question about the economy, and he said, “I haven’t thought about it very much, so I guess I will have to read up on it.” About a month ago, John McCain was speaking in Jacksonville, FLA, which he uttered words that have ominously haunted him ever since when he said, “The fundamentals of the economy are strong.” About a week later to the very day was the “MELTDOWN on WALL STREET.”
To add a bit of “irony of ironies” to this political Shakespearean drama, Senator Hillary Clinton, though not surprisingly, was seated among the audience at ‘Hofstra University’ in her adopted State of New York. One can only wonder what thoughts must have been going around inside her head as she watched the verbal exchanges between her Democratic presidential rival, Senator Barack Obama and Senate colleague Republican Senator John McCain. It must have been surreal as well as painful because she undoubtedly winced as she disagreed with some of the answers to the questions posed by CBS News veteran Correspondent and Moderator for the debate, Bob Schieffer. In the back of Hillary Clinton’s mind, she knows that she is more knowledgeable and qualified than either Barack Obama or John McCain, and it is apparently bittersweet as she replays over and over again in her mind the title from a popular song by the Soul group of the 1970’s, Gladys Knight and the Pips, “It Shoulda Been Me.”
Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
October 17, 2008
pbks@hotmail.com
