Friday, January 25, 2008

New Versus Old, Mr. Nice Guys Versus Grizzled Political In-Fighters

It looks like both parties are down to a choice of new versus old. Do Democrats want to stick with what they know (the Clintons), or do they want to go with the new guy on the block, Barack Obama?

Republicans seem to be down to the choice between the old guy who loves to make deals with liberal Democrats (McCain-Kennedy, McCain-Feingold, the Gang of Fourteen), or the new guy who has been an amazing success in business, the Olympics, and as Governor of a liberal state. If Rudy fails in his winner-take-all Florida strategy, we're down to McCain versus Romney.

Another way of looking at this is to contrast Mr. Nice Guy with the Grizzled Political In-Fighters. There is nothing the Clintons won't do to win; from pitting Hispanics and Whites against Blacks, older voters against younger voters, women against men, to charging Obama with all kinds of corruption, when they themselves are as corrupt as any two individuals who ever ran for the Presidency. Obama, on the other hand, seems like a nice guy, even to such veteran observers as Rush Limbaugh. Likewise, Romney exudes decency, seems like Mr. Squeaky-Clean. McCain has conducted himself in the Senate as an individual who stubbornly adhers to a philosophy that believes that America's problems can best be solved by the elite dealmakers in Washington, and to hell with what the people in the hinterlands think!

1 comment:

PULFER FAMILY said...

Seriously, why would ANYONE vote for McCain over Romney???

McCain graduated fifth from the bottom of his class at the naval academy and admittedly is not very knowledgeable about economics.

A war hero, he was, back in the 1960's.

A personal moral exemplar (like Mitt), he was not.

Wikipedia:

"As a child, John was known for a quick temper...."

"McCain was a rebellious midshipman and his career at the Naval Academy was ambivalent and lackluster. He had his share of run-ins with the faculty and leadership; each year he was given over 100 demerits (for unshined shoes, formation faults, talking out of place, and the like), earning him membership in the 'Century Club'."