It's a Question of Leadership

When it comes right down to it, this Presidential election is about leadership. Which man do we best trust to lead us through what will certainly be a tumultuous four years?


The last few weeks of economic craziness have shown us the kind of leadership we can expect. One hot, the other cold. I think it's instructive to look at their leadership style.

McCain announces he's suspending the nasty work of political campaigning to help fix the economy - an act which was the ultimate campaign ploy. He blasts Obama for "phoning it in," when he spent nearly all his time - you guessed it - working the phones. On Monday morning, he and his surrogates claimed victory for the bailout package that subsequently didn't pass.

He was all over the place.

Obama rightly cautioned about injecting the politics of the Presidential campaign into the bailout talks, though I wish he'd had some suggestions on how to solve this mess. Yesterday he suggested raising the level from $100,000 to $250,000 on FDIC-insured bank deposits...a move McCain quickly seconded. But what else to do?

Add to all this McCain's choice of Sarah Palin for vice president...an unwise move at best. God love her, she is just not ready for prime time. Nor is she ready to be a 71-year-old heartbeat away from the presidency.

I like John McCain, admire his courage and commitment to country, his ability to work across party lines. His principled stand against torture was admirable.

But we've had a cowboy in the White House for the last eight years and I don't think we can afford another four. We don't need a Teddy Roosevelt charging into battle; we need a Franklin Roosevelt to get us out of all the various and sundry messes in which we find ourselves.

I want someone who is thoughtful and inspiring. Somebody smarter than me. And somebody who plays it cool rather than running all over the place. McCain's antics this past week smell like desperation.

I can't wait for Thursday's debate....