A reader writes:
As I was watching the President’s speech and post-speech coverage last night, two thoughts really struck me. The first is that Obama strikes me as a President who is utterly serious about making what he thinks is the best decision. It seemed very apparent to me that this Afghanistan situation is something he looked at from every angle, and like it or not, is making what he believes is the best decision possible. Like you, I’m not sure I agree with him, and also like you, I will support the troops, give Obama the benefit of the doubt for now, and then want to see him held accountable for what he’s laid forth. I wanted Obama to be President because I thought he had the best judgment, and on this, I admire the fact he’s proposing something that is clearly not popular (especially with his base), because he thinks It’s the right thing to do.
The second thought occurred to me after watching the post-speech coverage on CBS. They had on John McCain.
McCain, who was so glib in attacking Obama during the campaign for offering nothing but platitudes, said he didn’t agree with Obama’s approach because it “emboldens our enemies” and “we have to stay until we win.” Well, those are helpful guideposts, and basically what the strategy has been in our two wars for the last eight years that has pretty much gotten us nowhere. I then got to thinking about McCain and his choice of running mate, Sarah Palin. I thought about what it would be like if she were President and having to determine a policy and give a speech in a situation similar to Obama’s. That thought literally caused me to shudder. And the fact that McCain chose Palin as a running mate, and a sub-segment of the current Republican party believes she actually has the chops to hold the highest office in the land shows the type of judgment that will not allow a left-leaning moderate like me to even consider voting for a Republican anytime soon.
The only honorable position for a man like McCain who unleashed Palin on the country is to resign. Someone who was prepared to see her as commander-in-chief at a moment's notice, after no vetting of her past or character, has no business being on television discussing foreign policy let alone the Senate. He's a deeply unserious man.