Why I’m (Grudgingly) Supporting Obama
One more rat is leaving the ship…
This is not the easiest post for me to write. I am at heart, a moderate Republican, a conservative. I have been involved with the party and have supported GOP candidates. I’m not looking forward to the coming Democratic tsunami that’s coming. I have many liberal friends and I’m married to one, but that doesn’t mean I always agree with them – which is why I am a Republican.
I also like John McCain. McCain has been a committed conservative and a reformer. He has been a leader when it comes things like climate change and immigration at a time when many in the party seem to put their heads in the sand at such issues. He also has a long history of reaching across the isle and working with his ideological opposite in order to get things done. When he uses the slogan, “Country First” in his campaign, I know it speaks to his willingness to put his love of country over simple partisanship.
I want to vote for John McCain, I really do. I’ve given money to his campaign, I supported him in the Caucuses. But in recent days, I have found that I just can’t pull the level for Mr. McCain. Not this time.
Running for President is basically a two-year job interview. We get to see how these people react during the interview and we make up our mind as to who can best do the job. For a long time, I thought the best person would be McCain, with his experience and knowledge especially on issues like foreign policy. But over time, McCain has made some mistakes and Mr. Obama has played a better hand that has made me think this guy could at least do a good job as President, even if he is a Democrat.
So, what has made me look at the young Senator and bypass someone that I consider an American hero? There are a few, that I have mentioned before, but I will repeat them again:
Sarah Palin. I’ve said it before, but I will repeat it again: she is just not ready. McCain made a lot of mistakes in this campaign, but picking the Alaskan governor was among the worst. She might fire the imagination of the true believers, but she has lost the moderates in the GOP and independents. McCain might have thought picking this “maverick” would have picked up some votes among independents and women, but as well have seen, her red meat rhetoric has turned many people off. She is now making forays into support for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and has even had trouble saying that abortion clinic bombers are terrorists, bring the stinging rebuke of conservative blogger Rick Moran of being a “moral coward.” McCain just didn’t do proper vetting of Palin and will end up costing him the White House and it also might permanently damage his reputation.
The Financial Bailout. When McCain said that he was suspending his campaign in late September to take part in negotiations in the financial “bailout” package, I thought this was a noble idea: signature McCain putting country first. It turned out to be a disaster. As the New York times has shown, he hardly said anything as the House GOP was balking. There is also no record of him working with Democrats on the package. McCain has a storied history of working across the isle to get things done. He could have done that here; working to bring both sides together. And yet, what he did was nothing but show. When the package failed a few days later, it was McCain who had egg on his face, while Obama looked cool under pressure. If McCain could fail this test, then what would happen as President?
Lack of Policy. Yes, McCain is a hero. Yes, he is a maverick. But the decision to run solely on biography when the GOP brand was in the toilet was a mistake. He could have gone the route of French President Sarkozy who also had to run against a very unpopular predecessor and against a rock-star Socialist rival. But he chose not to. He could have ran as he tried to in 2000 as a different kind of Republican that could salvage the party and lead in a new direction. But that would require new ideas and new policies. He offered very little, which allowed the Democrats to tar him as Bush II. I have yet to read the Times piece about the campaign, but reports say that for the most part, McCain and his campaign were about repackaging and repackaging McCain and not concerned with proposing new ideas and new ways to jump start the GOP and move it towards the wide center.
Not tending towards his base. McCain had a base-among moderate Republicans, Reagan Democrats and independents. He could have ran on this base and created a new GOP coalition for the 21st century. But instead, he ran on the old Christian Right base which tends to skew old and male. Yes, I know that some of the commentators would say that this was suicide. But since we are now seeing political suicide happen, one has to ask, it is more important to widen the base, create a movement, or rely on the same old, same old? The reason that moderates like Colin Powell, William Weld, Arne Carlson and several others are jumping ship is because McCain failed to cultivate a relationship with his “base.” So, like a person spurned by their lover, they find another with flowers and open arms.
The debates. Actually, it was the second and third debates. I remember being 11 years old and watching the 1980 debate between Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. Reagan was the picture of cool, while Carter seemed off his game. Fast-forward 28 years later, and it is Obama that shows a sense of maturity that looked presidential, while McCain seemed unsure of himself and trying to please too many people. A telling moment in the third debate, was when the subject of abortion was brought up. McCain seemed to not know which message to bring up. He shared that he had voted for Ruth Bader Ginsberg,a liberal who supports abortion rights, and then try to shore up his pro-life bona fides. He wanted to show he was willing to be the maverick and also be the loyal Republican on the same issue. It didn’t work. I’m not saying one can’t be pro-life and vote for a pro-choice judge, it’s just that he didn’t come off as confident. Perception is reality and McCain didn’t come off as presidential during the debates, but came off as petty and small-something I thought I’d never say about John McCain.
While I am supporting Obama, it is with trepidation. I worry that once in office he will veer too far to the Left, pleasing the Democratic base. I can only hope that with so much support from independents and Republicans, that he will realize that he has to govern from the center or face a backlash in 2010.
As David Brooks said, John McCain would have made an awesome president. He is and will always be a hero to me. But he became a prisoner of a GOP that seems blind to seeing that it needs to become a movement again, reaching towards the center- instead of a party of resentment and exclusion.
So, with sadness and hope, I will vote for Obama. Hoping the Illinois Senator will listen to the center and sad at what might have been with John McCain.
Sorry, Senator McCain. I just can’t pull the lever for you.
Cross-posted at NeoMugwump.
14 Responses to “Why I’m (Grudgingly) Supporting Obama”
“He could have gone the route of French President Sarkozy who also had to run against a very unpopular predecessor and against a rock-star Socialist rival.“
So… you're calling Obama a rock star socialist now? HATER!!!!
(Just kidding, Dennis.)
“.He could have ran on this base and created a new GOP coalition for the 21st century.”
Agreed!
Actually, Obama should not tack too far to the center. He is being elected because of some of his “left wing” proposals (for example, universal health care), not in spite of them. Americans want bold leadership and solutions to take us out of our multiple crises, not milquetoast centrism trying to please all people at all times.
Seems like Obama and McCain are pretty much ideological opposites. I'm voting for Obama, just a disclosure. I would never have voted for McCain because of the social conservative elements in the Republican party. Given this liberal tsunami, if it does in fact happen (maybe Obama will lose), will usher in a new liberal government, doesn't speak much to whatever led you to identify as a Republican to begin with. Hey I'm not trying to change your mind, one more vote for Obama is great. I just don't understand moderates. You're about to see a big change in governing, a change I think is better. Obama has said 'change' about a million times, I don't know why anyone thinks that Obama will do anything other than what he has promised. Liberal change.
If you ever want to see any conservative ideas discussed in Congress or in the White House again, you are going to have to work within the framework on the Democratic Party. The Repulbican Party has decided to commit suicide with John McCain instead of waiting for the slow death of demographic change.
Even thing that someone who sponsored limitations on free speech and supporting selling citizenship in the U.S. for a few thousand dollars is no conservative.
As for change from Senator Obama, promising the New Deal 2.0 is not really change but is a return to standard Democratic boilerplate when the world has changed around the Democrats. Does anyone think that having the American private sector at war with organized labor is really going to help the U.S. in the world economy? Does anyone really believe that a massive expansion of entitlements will create more private sector jobs? Does anyone really believe that open borders and unlimited immigraiton is cause real wages to rise?
Dennis, I see the twisting road you've taken in coming to your decision and I want to just say thanks for taking the time to consider both candidates. Too many people vote for someone without taking the time to understand that candidate first.
At any rate, what concerns me most about McCain is his jumping from one idea to the next without a strategy. That is most evident in his approach to the economic problems facing this country. It seems that McCain comes up with a new plan a day. It seems that Obama has run a great campaign and has a well thought out strategy for dealing with the issue at hand. Obama understands process and doesn't let the latest poll numbers dictate what he should be doing.
After the Dem convention, Meet the Press had a joint interview with Obama and Biden. Near the end of the interview Obama is asked why he isn't ahead more in the polls. Now bear in mind that this was asked at the end of August/beginning of Sept…. Anyway Obama basically responds by saying that the campaign will be rough and that many American people won't make up their minds until mid-Oct. Obama goes in to say that there is nothing wrong with that, that the voters need that time to decide. What this tells me is that Obama understands the process and sticks with his strategy, which he developed after consulting with some very good people. By contrast McCain's actions seem dictated by polls.
Here's the interview and if you want to fast forward to the question go to time 13:30. it's the last question in the interview.
One last note which is obvious in this interview… Both Obama and Biden seem confident and would make an excellent team. This is very different from McCain and Palin…. Obama and Biden come across as competent and they know what's what, whether it's their relationship with each other or the issues important to the people. Biden has written and worked on so much legislation over the past couple of decades as a lawmaker, Palin does not have that same gravitas as Biden has.
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4402004n…
Dennis, thanks for taking your responsibility as a citizen seriously.
I've been going door to door for Obama in Virginia for a month now. Almost non-stop the last week and a half (except for that pesky thing called a job during weekdays) and intend to continue until the evening of Nov 4th. I share this with you to let you know that you are not alone in your dismay over Sarah Palin. Her selection is what finally got me engaged. And I've probably knocked on 700 doors so far, will probably hit 1,000 by the 4th. In short, I've had numerous engaging conversations. Not once have I come across someone (willing to talk) who is voting for McCain because of the Palin choice. Rather, many Repbulicans have told me that they are voting for (or leaning towards Obama) because of Palin being on the ticket. Some have went so far as to say they are ashamed of her and the campaign, etc.
Yes, there have been many other reasons given for going with Obama, but regarding Palin… I believe the choice will go down in history as an astounding failure in judgement.
On another note, the Republican Party is in for some rough times. A complete wipeout would actually be better in the long run rather than a simple loss. It's the only way sound thinking people like you are going to be able to gain control again over the unholy neocon/theocon/redneck cabal that currently controls the party. When I had to make my choice to join either the D or R party many years ago… I chose D simply because I felt I could have a moderating influence in the Democratic party… Republicans would have no use for me other than “a vote.” And the Repbulicans have only become more reactionary over time. I truly wish you well… as I am a firm believer in a healthy two-party political system.
[...] for the undecideds and borderlines. It’s fine when my friend (and reluctant Obama supporter) Dennis Sanders and I jump ship. But we are — at the end of the day — pedestrian pundits. We [...]
Hey, Super D: Mr. Stickings started a new thread on here about David Frum and damage control (conceding the White House and fighting to save the Senate). I was going to ask you there, why not here? Do you realize that Frum is what a lot of “moderate” [sic; liberal] people claiming allegiance to either party (especially in the Northeast) consider a real “conservative”? Have you read his latest works about what the Republicans need to do? (to save you time — it's be more like the Dems, okay with big government, the same BS Dem Lite stuff we hear time after time from people who should be Dems). The idea of elites and elitists and DC-flea “Republicans” like Frum is that the GOP should be Dem Lite but maybe with a willlingness to flex military muscles now and then and thump our chests.
[rolling eyes]
Welcome aboard the traitors' ship, Dennis. I don't feel so alone now. And yes, I share many of your concerns about Obama, although articles like this one — http://www.arkansasnews.com/archive/2008/10/20/… — give me hope he will, despite his heritage and the opportunity presented by Dem control of executive and legislative branches, still govern to the center.
Those who argue for McCain on the basis that he is the last-gasp hope of divided-party government — they forget both the Blue Dogs and the lack of a super-majority in the Senate.
I just want to say that this is a really excellent post. Historically, both the Democrats and Republicans ignore the middle from time to time. And when they do, we are the ballast that shifts to compensate. We are a calming influence on the extreme right and left. And at this time in American history, we are the voice of reason against the neocons and the theocons. I've been a Republican since Ronald Reagan. But this will be my second election supporting the Democrats.
Keep up the good work.
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