The Lehrer Newshour: John McCain's Decision-Making
By Nicole Belle Monday Sep 22, 2008 11:00am
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Download | play (h/t Heather)
I guess it depends on your point of view. Maybe it's the liberal elitist in me, but I want to know that the President of the United States gathers information from varied and challenging sources and then makes thoughtful, reasoned and logical choices in guiding this country. As is patently clear from both his Senate career and his friends and colleagues, that would not be John McCain. As his out-of-left-field choice of running mate perfectly exemplifies, John McCain is a gambler and a reactor, making decisions intuitively and quickly. That may work well in some arenas (although I'm hard-pressed to think of one other than the mentioned fighter pilot), but as President, what a recipe for a worldwide disaster. Especially considering how poor his intuition has served in critical areas like the economy.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN: As a politician, I am instinctive, often impulsive.
JUDY WOODRUFF: McCain goes on to say, "I don't torture myself over decisions. I make them as quickly as I can, quicker than the other fellow, if I can. Often, my haste is a mistake, but I live with the consequences without complaint." But that quick-to-decide approach gives pause to some. [..]
FORMER SEN. GARY HART (D), Colorado: On a scale of pure intuitive, pure impulsive versus pure cerebral, pure analytical, I'm putting him very much on the former end.
See, the problem with this approach is that McCain is not the only person forced to live with his consequences and that's where all voters should be concerned.
Further, as his own Chief of Staff proudly admits, McCain serves no other master than himself, refusing to commit to his party leaders or even participate in their organization to push legislation.
MARK BUSE: The Senate leadership used to get very frustrated with him when they would do their whip checks, their vote counts in advance of votes. He wouldn't answer. He wouldn't give an answer. His answer would be, "I'll vote how I want to vote." He wouldn't let them count his vote necessarily. He doesn't do the daily attendance check.
JUDY WOODRUFF: What's that?
MARK BUSE: In the Senate, every morning, they check to see what numbers are there so that they know what might happen. We don't respond to that.
Hard to buy that whole "Country First" crap when he's shown over his entire Senate career that it's "McCain First".
Transcripts below the fold (download of the entire episode available at the link)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN: I've been called a maverick. Now we have a team of mavericks that's going to...
JUDY WOODRUFF: McCain has long been described as a maverick, a title he's happy to brandish. As evidence, he touts his work with Democrats on issues like campaign finance and immigration reform. McCain staffers describe a boss who makes decisions outside of partisan pressures.
MARK BUSE, Chief of Staff, McCain Senate Office: He has a concept of party. He believes in his party, but he's more than happy to cross the aisle. And he does it all the time to the anguish of those who demand party unity.
JUDY WOODRUFF: Mark Buse is McCain's Senate office chief of staff. Buse started working for the senator 17 years ago as an intern.
MARK BUSE: The Senate leadership used to get very frustrated with him when they would do their whip checks, their vote counts in advance of votes. He wouldn't answer. He wouldn't give an answer. His answer would be, "I'll vote how I want to vote." He wouldn't let them count his vote necessarily.
He doesn't do the daily attendance check.
JUDY WOODRUFF: What's that?
MARK BUSE: In the Senate, every morning, they check to see what numbers are there so that they know what might happen. We don't respond to that. While he respects the leadership, he respects their jobs, he's not there to serve them.
JUDY WOODRUFF: Republican Jon Kyl, the other Arizona senator, has known McCain for over 20 years and says much of McCain's decision-making style can be attributed to his military experience.
SEN. JON KYL (R), Arizona: I think, partly as a result of his background in the United States Navy and partly because of his personality and his disposition, John goes a lot on instincts. He's peripatetic. He covers a lot of ground in a short period of time.
And so he's not one to sit around, and ponder, and wring his hands, and try to figure out what the right thing is. He's got an idea right off, and then he'll take advice from his advisers, his staff, and others around him, but he makes a judgment relatively quickly, sticks with it, doesn't look back.
And in that sense, he's a leader that bases a lot of what he decides on his instinct, on his judgment, and his sense of what's right and wrong and proper.
JUDY WOODRUFF: As an example, Kyl points to an international crisis that flared between Russia and the Republic of Georgia.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN: Today, we are all Georgians.
SEN. JON KYL: John McCain immediately had an idea of what was right and wrong. He immediately had a view about what should be said about it in criticism of the Russian invasion, and he did it. He didn't get any advice from advisers on that. That was pure John McCain.
JUDY WOODRUFF: In his book, "Worth the Fighting For," McCain himself describes his instinctive approach.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN: As a politician, I am instinctive, often impulsive.
JUDY WOODRUFF: McCain goes on to say, "I don't torture myself over decisions. I make them as quickly as I can, quicker than the other fellow, if I can. Often, my haste is a mistake, but I live with the consequences without complaint."
But that quick-to-decide approach gives pause to some. Former Colorado Democratic Senator Gary Hart, a one-time presidential candidate himself, befriended McCain when McCain was the Navy liaison to the Senate. Hart later served as a groomsman in John and Cindy McCain's wedding.
FORMER SEN. GARY HART (D), Colorado: On a scale of pure intuitive, pure impulsive versus pure cerebral, pure analytical, I'm putting him very much on the former end.
Now, he's a smart guy or he wouldn't be where he is, but I don't think -- I think he'd be the first to say he's not a rocket scientist or a pure analytical brain, if you will. I think he, John, reacts to things.
JUDY WOODRUFF: Hart says he has great respect for McCain but is supporting Barack Obama for president.
GARY HART: I have hesitation, probably would have were John McCain a Democrat, about a personality in the Oval Office who is more impulsive and intuitive, if you will, than analytical and thoughtful.
Now, John McCain is not seat-of-the-pants. I'm not -- I don't want to give the impression that he just -- whatever he had for breakfast makes the decision of going to war.
It's not quite like that. But I think, again, on a scale, I'd prefer somebody who's a little more thoughtful, a little less impulsive, and a little more analytical.
JUDY WOODRUFF: Long-time Congress-watcher Norman Ornstein worked alongside Senator McCain on campaign finance legislation.
NORMAN ORNSTEIN, American Enterprise Institute: John McCain is a fighter pilot. A lot of his persona comes from being a fighter pilot.
This is a man who not only constantly questions authority, but is fond of making last-minute, from-the-gut, impulsive, risk-taking decisions, and believing to his bones that there may be a risk here, but it will pay off.
An impulsive decision-making style is fine if you're riding a jet. An impulsive decision-making style is fine if you're piloting a jet in combat. It's fine if you're a senator where the consequences are not going to be that long-lasting. It's a real question mark when you move into the presidency.
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THE DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND MOVIE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUiEd0IHaDs
I did not read the story, just noticed no comments..
btw McCain is a foo
"but I want to know that the President of the United States gathers information from varied and challenging sources and then makes thoughtful, reasoned and logical choices in guiding this country.."
ahhhh ... like Bu$h ... ;-)
The guy is flat out scary - and yet I keep running into supporters who just don't care about any of the scary stuff, the lies, the flip-flops, the evidence that he is too old and out of touch, his choice of Gov. Mooselini. They just don't care. They brush it off as if it were nothing.
"and yet I keep running into supporters who just don't care"
___
I realized in 2004 that, unfortunately, we simply do not deserve and cannot handle the responsibility of living with representative government. That having been noticed, we are surely and rather too quickly being relieved of the burden of self-determination.
Unlike Senator McCain, though, I am unwilling to live with the consequences without complaint. If we are to save ourselves, we must complain loudly, and soon.
Maverick, smaverick. He's a brat.
The last damned thing we need in the white house now and in the future is a guy who makes snap knee jerk decisions. You can't run a successful household that way and you sure as hell can't run a successful country that way.
Impulsiveness is for buying socks and ties, not running a country.
I think we've had enuf of lack of thoughtfulness, lack of inquisitiveness, and "shoot from the hip" decision making over the last 8 years.
Put a GROWNUP in the White House. John McCain is a 72 year old impetuous child.
The money quote as far as I'm concerned: "...Often, my haste is a mistake, but I live with the consequences without complaint.”
Potential Obama Commercial: Very admirable Senator, but as a public servant, it is the people who must live with the consequences of your mistakes.
“but I want to know that the President of the United States gathers information from varied and challenging sources and then makes thoughtful, reasoned and logical choices in guiding this country..”
McCain: "I need a VP. Who's the hottest candidate out there for VP?"
Fuck you, I'm no Georgian. And you're no MAVERICK.
Why did this country fall so in love with John Wayne and not Atticus Finch?
Sounds like a reactionary to me. That's what we've had since 2000. Do we need another one?
I like that fighter pilot mentality they always refer to leaving out the fact that he crashed 5 planes and was captured. Not the ideal scenario for a warrior let alone a country
This sounds an awful lot like GW and Sarah Palin.
"I think with my gut." "You can't blink."
All BS. Look where this knee-jerk reactionary crap has gotten up - we've had an unparalleled compilation of disasters in the past 7 1/2 years, with no end in sight.
Remember, this was code when GW was saying it, code for prayer and looking to God for guidance. Is this just more McCain pandering?
I don't know why you think it is good for jet fighter pilots to make "decisions intuitively and quickly."
The history of the Vietnam war, in which Mr. McCain was a fighter pilot, demonstrates exactly the opposite. The performance of fighter pilots in that war was the basis for creating the "Top Gun" school(s). There the pilots were extensively trained and educated in the possible decisions which would need to be made in combat. Their intuition was replaced by reasoned and pre-planned actions which they then practiced extensively. The results of this training were and are considered essential for good combat performance.
Pete @ 13:
In terms of driving, someone who has wrecked five cars in not seen as being a good driver.
And for the umpteenth time . .
If this country elects McLame, this country deserves everything that will follow.
Dale @ 11:
Exactly spot on!
CMINCA @ 18:
You can't really compare. There are no consequences in fiction. Problem is though as the Bush admin has taught us so well, much to many on the left's surprise: The line between fact and fiction was snorted by Bush and the electorate is much more prone to be affected by a well crafted narrative even if fictional than factual stances on issues.
Did you read George Will's column?
http://whttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/22/...
It begins:
"Under the pressure of the financial crisis, one presidential candidate is behaving like a flustered rookie playing in a league too high. It is not Barack Obama. "
You could substitute "Bush" for "McCain" in this article and it would still be accurate--and explain why our country is in the mess it is in today. Going with the gut, no consultation, no consideration of risks, just impulsive decisions made by someone who thinks he knows. Terrifying.
listening to Buse sets off my gaydar
Filthy Harry @ 19:
But it's the archetype that matters and Dale is right. This country embraced the archetype John Wayne over the one represented by Atticus to our own detriment.
Karen in CT @ 20:
Wow. When did George Will find the time to pull his head out of Bush's ass long enuf to write a column?
This brings up what McCain's ex-wife said about him: "I wanted John McCain to be 40 and he wanted to be 25."
No impulse control then; no impulse control now.
CMINCA @ 18:
Perhaps someday one political party will nominate "Atticus Finch". So far it hasn't happened.
An impulsive decision-making style is fine if you’re riding a jet. An impulsive decision-making style is fine if you’re piloting a jet in combat.
Ummm, actually it isn't. Good reflexes and quick thinking, yes, but not impulsive decision-making. He proved that many times. It was bad enough for the people on the Forrestal, let's not multiply that by many magnitudes and wet-start WWIII as well.
Sue @ 21:
Remember, the highest standard for selecting someone for office is whether or not you'd like to have a beer with him/her. Is he/she a regular guy/gal.
Dale @ 11:
Atticus Finch 49%
John Wayne 44%
honestly, I don't know how these two (McCain and Obama) got this far, both of them have major flaws and many things inhibiting them from leading, I'm not really for either as both of them seem to have equal sets of bad things in store for the country, and I'm puzzled about who I should vote for, I think either way, America is in for bad times, let us hope this isn't the beginning of the end for America. (as civilizations start to crumble, leaders get worse and worse, and let us hope this isn't the case for us now)
The country needs strong, decisive action. It needs someone who will protect us from the dark races. We do not need liberal elite values spewed by some slip and fall lawyer.
We need action!
the fact that this guy and his running mate are still actually being considered for the office of the white house tells me it's already too late.
Dale @ 16:
Apparently those quick knee jerk decisions McCain made as a fighter pilot were about as good as the quick knee jerk decisions that Bush has made over the last two terms in office. Isn't it time for someone with an analytical brain that reasons, knows the law and contemplates the consequences of their decisions beforehand.
John Wayne @ 30:
Comments from the dead, a brain dead McLame supporter!
John Wayne @ 30:
the funniest thing about this post is your sittin on your ass while you write it.
Nicole, I have to disagree with the example you cite to support your premise even though I don't have a problem with the premise itself:
The choice of Sarah Palin was crafty, intelligent, and well-considered. And the choice has had exactly the desired effect, in fact possibly better than what had been hoped for.
Unfortunately, the choice of Palin was made for immediate political reasons, not in the interests of good governance. Once you recognize that, then you see the brilliance of it.
Which makes me conclude that Palin was not McCain's choice at all, but someone else's. His handlers'. Most likely, Rick Davis'. Or perhaps even Rove's himself.
And that lends one little confidence that McSame will be making his own decisions once in the White House.
mcBush: ....i would 'fire' the SEC chairman.
media......you don't have the authority to fire the
SEC chairman
mcBush......but..but..but i'm a maverick...remember bomb..bomb...bomb or 100 yrs.-1000yrs.in iraq who cares
this is BUSH all over again.
John@30, Obama Elitist? A poor black kid who put himself through school, compared to a man who dumped his first wife for a decades younger rich trophy wife? I thought religious folks looked down on stuff like that. Guess not if you have an R next to your name.
His fast decision making might work behind closed doors in Vegas when he is gambling, but that could be deadly in the White House.
His time as a POW needs to be factored in as well. Who knows how much that contributes to his stubborness, his explosive outburst. He needs be psychologically evaluated. He's also a senior citizen, and although I love the wisdom they provide, they tend to be obstinate and set in their ways.
bughunter @ 35:
You have a great point here. It was a political choice that pandered to the radical Christian right. I think it was a calculated choice. Perhaps McCain did only meet her once and made an immediate judgment (probably a negative one and this case once would be quite enough). The whole premise was designed to solidify this Maverick, knee-jerk reaction image. The Daily Show uses Marlon Brando as the icon.
Carol @ 38:
Perhaps when you're 72 and know that your children will be very well off after your departure, you view death somewhat differently than most others.
moniker @ 29:
Because about 50% of Americans are braindead
I know biology well enough to know that what comes from the gut is sh*t
John Wayne @ 30:
Well, it's good to see that you openly admit you're a bigot.
There are so many people just like you on the side of McCain and Palin. You guys usually try to hide your racism, but it always oozes to the surface like a toxic oil slick.
P.D. @ 37:
The word elitist in the redneck sense means "uppity", "intellectual", "book-smart", "nerdy". It has little to do with actual wealth and everything to do with the tough-guy image.
He was right about Cox of the SEC.
Today, Cox said there were regulations.
It was voluntary and it failed.
Voluntary.
But lets give them 700 billion.
Just vote no and demand their resignations.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN: As a politician, I am instinctive, often impulsive.
The claim to be instinctive is questionable as many behaviorists say there are no real "human instincts" in the strict scientific
definiton. The claim to be impulsive is certainly nothing one should offer as a measure of qualification to be in a position where
analytical thought is so neccesary.
CMINCA@45, Oh, I know. I like playing around with the trolls every now and then.
That's what we need, is a President who's decisions are often mistakes, but he bull doggedly supports his mistakes once he makes them.
Then again, considering his flip flopping, we can't be sure he'll stick to his mistakes or his successes. We can't be sure what the maverick will do from minute to minute.
Where is McCain today? I haven't heard any pearls of wisdom from him.
It's Alzheimer McBush talking stupid and doing his daily flip flopping like a fish out of water.
P.D. @ 48:
Oh so I see. Make sure you wash after playing with those dirty things.
mcLiar doesn't have the high 'emotional I.Q.' obama does.
mcLiar said himself there will be more wars. mcLiar does
first and ask questions latter.
I believe mcLiar has similar wiring/personality behavior(s) of g.w. bush.....i wonder if this could be related to Alcoholism.
this is going to be a third BUSH term. consultants and
lobbyists will run this country. we need someone who
understands and respects the legislative branch.
I see the meme that McCain was a "fighter pilot" continues largely unchallenged. He was a bomber pilot.
Fighter pilot means going against opponents who can fight back in the air. Since WWI it is the one arena of combat that still has some of the romantic cache of chivalric combat. Bomber pilot (especially in the Vietnam War, replete with it's iconic images of the mass bombing of civilian targets) is a lot less flattering. I wonder why the press still insists on calling him a fighter pilot?
constituent @ 36:
No it's not. Bush was younger and ignorant. McCain is old and has clinical dementia. Totally different.
On a semi-unrelated matter, did anyone else note that Mark Buse, McCain's Chief of Staff was outed recently by Signorielle. Imagine that...(sarcasm intended)
Numinous @ 44:
I think he/she, "john wayne", is being ironic and satirical. If you read the other threads. Satirical John Wayne, you've got my vote. Ha. Ha.
I just don't understand why anyone in their right mind can really trust McCain anymore, especially given all that we now know about him and his "say anything to win," flip-flop approach to politics. More and more each day, McCain and Palin, like Bush and Cheney, are demonstrating their animosity to the media and transparency in govenrment. Doesn't this raise a red flag (or two or three?) in any one's mind?
Why is America not listening? Why are too many people putting party above country? It's amazing to me just how gullible people are and how willing they are to be manipulated by politicians.
"SEN. JOHN MCCAIN: As a politician, I am instinctive, often impulsive."
Bush's instincts are lousy....
That's why we are in the fix we're in right now....
So do we really need another guy who bases his impaired critical decisions on a "gut feeling"?....
Geesh...
Fuck it, I'm sick of all this parsing of who the hell John McCain is, what exactly makes him tick and what kinds of decisions he makes and how he does this.. The old fart is a freaking moron who has no business being president of this nation... end of fucking story... All the rest of the details are freaking irrelevant... He's unfit period! His age, his temper, his past history, his recent history, his own words on the stump proves it...Jesus Christ America! OPEN YOUR FUCKING EYES PEOPLE!!!!......JD
say what you want. the Palin choice for vice president
is iresponsible and reflects the poor judgement of
john mccainIII. it was a political choice we all know that. palin is a large risk to this country.the palin pick revealed to me that ..mccain would rather win an election than be concerned about the national security
of this country.
i've said it all along. mccain isn't cerebral. he's a gut
type reactive thinker. he's black and white. we had
8 yrs. of that. look what we got in return:9-11,katrina
flyover,iraq/afghanistan and now financial crisis.
Reminds me of the episode where Homer Simpson changed his name to Max Power:
Homer: “There’s three ways to do things: the right way, the wrong way, and the Max Power way.”
Bart: “Isn’t that the wrong way?"
Homer: “Yeah, but faster!"
Am I the only one, that after reviewing McCain's flight record, thinks that the Vietnamese were actually doing the USA a favor by grounding him for five and a half long years?
Had McCain never been captured, he would have crashed enough planes and fuck up enough aircraft carriers to actually force the US to capitulate faster than we did.
Jack Damage @ 60:
Agreed. He is a simple, simple man who is obsessed with being president, who feels (and rightfully so, I imagine) that he was unfairly robbed of it in 2000, that he's kissed Bush/Rove ass for 8 years and believes he deserves this and will stop at nothing to get it. A sad, sad legacy indeed.
Perhaps a bit OT, but this is a rather telling video of Wasilla by LA Times' Steve Lopez:
http://www.latimes.com/video/?slug=la-me-lopez23-2008sep23_video
"What you need here are a couple of good community organizers." Wink. Wink. [Steve Lopez]
SALES 101:
How to sell a program, car, or new shoes to a prospect who acts impulsively, without haste or deep decision making?
Answer: Very easily.
This guy is a push-over for well-planned and oiled salesmen (i.e Cheney, Rove, Rumsfeld). Just what we need, a knee-jerk imbecile who "feels" his way along the road.
It's easy to go against your party when your party is so often wrong. But McCain has voted the Bush line over 90% of the time. So rather than an independent, principled maverick, he's an impulsive, egotistical dissembler.
oldenoughtoknowbetter @ 26:
I agree. And if no American political party has yet nominated an "Atticus Finch", we are fooling ourselves to think America will elect a black man. Sadly enough.
Translation: I think with my junk, not my brain. Just like W.
McCain and Palin need to learn to play with others a whole lot better; http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20080923/pl_politico/13783 "Palin press may boycott UN conference"
In sum; Palin's crew want cameras there when she shakes hands with the UN big boys, but they don't want anyone asking Palin any questions.
Don't forget McCain's lucky rabbit's foot and other superstitious trinkets he needs in order to make decisions...
Geebus, John McCain wrote a book about how impulsive he is, and how he doesn't give a shit about making mistakes, then he puts it out as a book-on-tape in his own voice!
Where the hell are the campaign commercials?
Stryke @ 30:
I remember in 2000 thinking how much I had a problem voting for the Gore/Lieberman ticket. I was THIS close to voting for Nader. But in the end, I had to vote against Bush by voting for Gore. Eight years later, look at where we are now. Yes, Gore had his flaws, but I have no doubt now that I cast the correct vote in 2000. Had Gore been elected we would not be in Iraq, we would be on our way to solving the climate and energy problems, and we would not be in the economic mess we are in now.
Yes, Obama has his flaws, but really, this election, the choice couldn't be any more clear.
McCain and the Republicans will continue what Bush started. Though there may be some differences in style, they essentially maintain the same idealogy.
I will vote against McCain, and I will do whatever I can to see that Obama is elected.
Yes, it matters.
Carol @ 43:
It's a path of least resistance thing. John wayne is entertaining, which allows you to be mentally passive and lazy. Atticus Finch challenges you and forces you to think - even about your own thinking - a mentally active pursuit. Even to those of us who enjoy this and are invigorated by it, recognize the effort involved and are at times exhausted by it. It's just easier to follow a path of mental atrophy.
Wasn't this all too obvious when a few days ago the fiscal disaster broke? Two hours later he announced his plan to fix it and maligned Obama for not offering a plan?
This guy is the worst possible excuse for a human being but he may get elected as the next President of the United States. Good Work, Amerikkka!
"I may start World War III, but don't worry, I won't beat myself up over it."
I wonder how many impulsive "from the gut'
WARS the McAnus will get the USA into if
he became the President?
Stryke @ 30:
Yes Obama is flawed and far from ideal.
But it is a bit of a stretch to claim he is in the same league as McCain.
Too bad he isn't quick to retire..
Mmm...the last time the American people voted for a crew that trusted their 'guts', hundreds of thousands of people lost theirs.
...John McCain is a gambler and a reactor, making decisions intuitively and quickly. That may work well in some arenas (although I’m hard-pressed to think of one other than the mentioned fighter pilot)...
As has already been pointed out, but could use a little hammering home: A fighter pilot who makes decisions intuitively and quickly and as a result has crashed five planes is not someone I want as President.
Or a pilot.
Vote to Protect Our Freedom!
The decision facing Americans in this election couldn’t be more important to the future of our country. The choice is between the right change and the wrong change; between going forward and going backward. This election for me is about one single most important issue – the basic right to freedom.
Like many of his fellow Democrats, Senator Obama seems to think that government is the answer to every problem; that government should take our resources and make our decisions for us, and of course the bigger the government the better…
As a US Citizen, I believe that we are in danger of losing more and more of our rights and our freedoms. The sad part is, most people don’t even think so. In addition, it is all being done non-violently. How? Well, all in the name of protecting us, of course..... I think most people feel as if they are working harder than ever, and are falling behind because the government is taking more than it is giving back; they feel that they will never see a social security check, if they are 20 years or more from retirement.
Everyone keeps saying that Senator Obama is a socialist, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing, right? Denmark is a socialist country, and they are pretty happy people… aren’t they? Sure, they pay a lot of taxes, but schools, college, healthcare, etc. are all free… aren’t they? Well, let me tell you that those services aren't "free." Nothing is free. You pay for it one way or another. In this case, taxpayers provide the revenue. Why is everyone so scared of socialist societies? - The reason people don't like socialism is because the government takes your money without your consent, decides where your money would best be spent, and then offers you services - good or bad, whether you want them or not, whether you need them or not…. And, that you can not control.
Remember, any government big enough to give you everything you want is also big enough to take everything away. This type of society doesn’t trust people to know what is right or what is in their own best interests. It's the attitude of politicians who are sure of themselves but have little faith in the wisdom, decency and common sense of free people. That attitude created the unresponsive bureaucracies of big government in the first place. And this is very much in line with Senator Obama’s beliefs. To me that's not the change I can believe in…
I grew up and spent my young adult life under the oppression of a communist society in a beautiful Eastern European country. I know communism and socialism first hand. I have experienced it every day for 26 years of my life. Believe me, I do recognize socialist ideas, this subject is way too familiar to me… God has brought me to this wonderful country, and I am now a very proud American citizen clinging to those good old values that the Republican Party stands for.
Most Americans, I think, take freedom for granted. I don't mean that we don't care about it, or that we don't appreciate it from time to time… For me, my friends, it’s a little different, because I grew up without it. And, this is why I felt compelled to share with you why this election matters so much. And Yes, I will absolutely vote Republican! I am very proud to support Senator John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin, and here are a few more reasons why:
I believe in a government that unleashes the creativity and initiative of Americans, a government that doesn't make your choices for you, but works to make sure you have more choices to make for yourself.
I believe in low taxes, spending discipline, and open markets.
I believe in rewarding hard work and risk takers and letting people keep the fruits of their labor.
I believe that John McCain is a true profile of courage and character and that he has a proven record in serving a cause greater than his self-interest.
I believe John McCain can reach out to any willing patriot, Democrat or Republican, as he has already shown to get things done in Washington.
John McCain is a true reformer; he fought corruption and it didn't matter if the culprits were Democrats or Republicans.
As Governor Sarah Palin, has said, “the American presidency is not supposed to be a journey of personal discovery”. Today’s world needs a true leader.
I know it is hard to recover the people's trust, but I know John McCain and Sarah Palin can do it by standing up again for the values Americans believe in and admire. I trust that with John McCain and Sarah Palin, the party of Lincoln, Roosevelt and Reagan, is going to get back to basics and couldn’t be more proud of our candidates.
I can only hope that my enthusiasm doesn’t offend anyone but from where I stand the future of this country looks much brighter with a McCain-Palin leadership.
So McCain is whimsical, impulsive, arbitrary and unpredictable. Wonderful! I understand he is old too.
McCain's "instinctive reactions" did not serve him well when he was a pilot. I mean, 4 crashes? And he flew a bomber.
Ms. Carmen is a moran.
You said "...although I’m hard-pressed to think of one other than the mentioned fighter pilot..."
It's been mentioned above @ 55 by Astro, but is worth repeating.
McCain was NOT A FIGHTER PILOT !
He was a Low-Life Napalm / High-Explosive Bomber Pilot.
This had too much of a tone of glorifying the qualities of impulsiveness and ill-considered intutition. At times, it seemed like hero worship.
I would argue that those qualities are what is not wanted in a fighter or bomber pilot. The best ones, do everything by the book. They practice very deliberate skills until those skills become second nature muscle memory. They master and then deploy those skills with cold, reasoned judgment and prevail in battle, because they fly without making mistakes, exploiting their opponent's impulsive, stupid moves. The best pilots are the ones who can discipline themselves to fly intricately choreographed flight plans, yet adapt to the unexpected with expert precision. Pilots like McCain used to be are called "hotdogs". It's a term of derision. The hotdogs tend to become statistics.
um... OK. And he crashed 5 jets, (which he did not pay for.)
He'll always be OK, ...with Cindy's money to fall back on.
He's an old man willing to take one last BIG gamble with the American people; their money, their lives.
Doesn't bush use his instincts too?
Is there a sound bite (and maybe even some footage) of him calling Wall Street reckless (or something similar) that could be paired in an ad self-description as impulsive?
I seem to be in the minority here, but I find that, despite the numerous mistakes the current president has made, we still need a decisive leader. Many of the problems arise when action takes too long. There should of course be room for advice, but policy should be implemented within a reasonable time frame to avoid stagnation. As a moderate this is a quality I admire in McCain (sadly which are few and far between unfortunately).
And I know this is an internet comment section, but for sanity's sake please stop calling him McBush, McLame or any variation of Mc. Its bad enough Obama bashers have the whole Osama/Hussein rant going, we can stop it on both sides.
I saw this "piece" last night and had to turn it off. It was about 15 mins of hero worship of McCain w/nary a rebuttal nor independent thought by Woodruff. Sickening.
Anti-Palin Rally in Alaska Draws 1400
http://tinyurl.com/4xy6vv
Wow this report just destroyed McCain...
Now was anybody watching?
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