Here I am that mythical undecided voter. I could go for Obama. I could go for McCain.
The company they keep is going to mean a lot to me and I think to people like me.
Whose circle helped them more this week in the eyes of this undecided voter?
Let’s take a look!
On the Obama side, Jim Webb removed himself from VP consideration and John Edwards announced he’d be willing. Both announcements got a lot of play but didn’t mean that much to me. Jim Webb, though clearly a potential help to the Obama campaign with his vet status and his appeal to Southern voters, meant little to me as neither of those assets was a positive or a negative for me personally as a voter.
As for Edwards, I’m an Edwards fan, but the political geek in me hopes he doesn’t get picked. This is because I never think it’s a good idea to try to sell last year’s model to people looking for something new.
The most interesting peace of Obama related news this week I think is that Republican Chuck Hagel will be accompanying him on his trip to Iraq. Hmmmmm…. Wonder if this means Obama is seriously thinking about picking a GOP guy as his VP?
It would certainly signal change. Hagel has more Senate experience than his potential running mate and is a Viet Nam Vet. But, mostly he’s a Republican. That’s the key thing for me. If Obama is serious about working together with the opposition party than what better way to signal it than by going with someone like Hagel? I like that idea and I think a lot of other Americans would too.
Now let’s check out John McCain’s circle. The biggest news this week was negative and it came from negative guy Phil Gramm. Look, I’ve always liked John McCain, but I’m someone who has mostly voted for Democrats. 9/11 really changed me in terms of trying harder than ever to be open to people from both parties. So, this year I really may vote for my first Republican presidential candidate. I’m there for the plucking (so to speak).
That said, now I’m struggling with Phil Gramm’s association with John McCain. Apparently, he’s his economics adviser and he thinks the rest of us ordinary folks are whining too much. He also said this week that he thinks America is on the decline, which he called a “mental recession”.
Well, Phil, you’re not helping the GOP or John McCain in my independent voter eyes. Who’s fault is it that America is in a “mental recession” if we are? Hasn’t the GOP been at the White House for eight years? Haven’t Republicans controlled the Presidency and both houses of Congress for much of my adult life (and for the record I’m a VERY sexy 40-something….)? My point is the GOP has been large and in charge for a long time.
Gramm is now saying he wasn’t talking about us ordinary citizens, but rather leaders in Washington, which by the way, he was up until recently. If Gramm truly was aiming his criticisms at the leaders in DC then you know what? I agree with him.
I do think that America has suffered because we’ve had terrible leadership on BOTH sides of the aisle. We are locked into gridlock and need to break out. Still, Gramm is part of the more dominant party over the past few decades and so I can’t shake the feeling that the GOP has been significantly more responsible for getting us to this place of “mental recession”.
Even worse, I DON’T believe Phil Gramm. I do believe he’s out of touch with America. I do believe he’s in lock step with a GOP that largely hasn’t cared much about the average American.
The GOP has been too busy making sure that people earning over 250K get tax breaks.
Whether his intention or not, Phil Gramm’s words didn’t help John McCain at all this week. They simply reminded me why I tend to vote for Democrats.
I’m still keeping my mind open to voting for McCain so in fairness to him I do need to post his response, which was really good here:
PS – For this week at least, in my eyes… ADVANTAGE: OBAMA
2 Comments
July 12, 2008 at 4:14 am
On your Obama side, you forgot to mention Rev. Wright and his 20 year association, Fr. Pfleager, Tony Rezco, and several others as part of his inner circle.
Some of your facts are a bit confused.
Senator Hagle has opposed the Republican party, even though he is a member, so that would not be a surpise for anyone who really follows politics. The Republicans held congress from 1994 to 2006, but the Democrats held congress for the previous 40 years (with a few short exceptions).
I have no doubts that you are, as you said sexy, but if you worked during the Bush administration, YOU got a tax cut. The cuts were across the board, not just for the rich.
July 12, 2008 at 2:30 pm
First, thanks for checking out my post. But respectfully, I think you are the one who may be a bit confused. Although, you are correct that I am sexy.
This post was really just looking at this week. I completely agree with your points on some of Obama’s associates that you listed. Similarly, however, because the post was just about who had been in the news this week I did not mention John McCain’s associations with Rod Parsley, John Hagee or for that matter the long ago S&L scandal.
As for Chuck Hagel – I am aware of the Senator’s Iraq views. That said, I completely disagree with you that it would be a MAJOR surprise if either presidential candidate picked a running mate from the opposite party – even if they agreed on one major issue….
As for Control of Congress – I’m in my early 40s. So, since I’ve been a teenager the president has most been a Republican (with 8 glorious Clinton years shoved in there). And while you are correct that the Democrats had a nice long run in Congress, again my aim was a bit more recent.
On the tax cuts – perhaps I wasn’t clear enough. As I understand it the cuts for folks earning over 250K are due to run out. The GOP seems in a very big hurry to re-up them. At a time of war when we are running huge deficits – I don’t think that’s a good fiscal idea.
It was freaking great to be rich in America BEFORE the Bush tax cuts – so my populist butt thinks that perhaps the very rich could sacrifice a bit now and go back to the pre-Bush tax cut tax rates during this very difficult time.
And yes – in general, it does steam me that the GOP seems very focused on helping those who don’t really need help rather than thinking about issues that affect ordinary Americans – like healthcare, or the price of gas.
Phil Gramm (who is a jacka@@) made it very clear to me in his comments that the GOP could give two cents about ordinary Americans.
So for that reason, his association with McCain hurt McCain more this week than any of Obama’s pals hurt him this week.
I’m a truly undecided voter and Phil Gramm did a great job making John McCain less appealing to me this week. That was the point of the post.
Again, thank you and please come on back.
Tidewater