2008: October 2008 Archives

Wow. That was powerful. Tonight America saw Barak Obama, not as the wild-eyed radical terrorist that the McCain campaign tries to paint him as, but as an earnest, likeable young man who wants to do right by this great country of ours.

In this period of nasty campaign innuendo and smears and falsehoods about the motives, beliefs and actions of those on the "other side," it's time to stop and ruminate about what is an American. More than one Republican has been throwing anti-American brickbrats at Obama and other Democrats. Is this the American way?

This sounds like a contradiction in terms. If you want to win - and nothing is more important than winning - then you must do everything to denigrate and ruin the reputation of your opponent. This nasty politics has been with us for a long time. However, yesterday's debate between John McCain and Barack Obama proves that nasty is not always the best approach. Nice guys finish first.

The Democratic pickup in the Senate is looking bigger than first expected, but Republicans need not be too glum long term. If they return to more traditional conservative values, stop alienating moderates, and act honestly as a minority party, they will make a comeback. Otherwise another party WILL step in to fill in the void.