Commitment to Duty at Heart of McCain's Decision
Unintended Result Will Be "Checkmate" to Obama on Issue of Financial Crisis Recovery
Duty first has been John McCain's mantra since he made a fateful decision to refuse early release in Hanoi. As a United States Senator, he still has a duty. He took an oath to serve the people of Arizona, and the current financial crisis represents just the kind of situation in which no other obligations or pursuits should be placed prior. He wants to be president, but he is a senator. Duty first.
In contrast, Senator Obama seems content to tell his constituents that he's not needed in the effort to respond to the threat facing our country. If he's not needed now, than when was he ever? More importantly, if he sees fit to overlook his senatorial oath, what kind of value will he place on the oath he might take as president?
It is frustrating to listen to even certain conservative pundits and voices decry McCain's return to Washington as "weak", as encapsulated by radio host Laura Ingraham. It shows that "beltway fever" can infect habitual observers so that even they become more concerned about the politics than what the politics are all about.
We, Republicans, moan and complain about how President Bush has played politics in Washington and failed to fulfill the bulk of his promise of compassionate conservatism. When a man steps forward who wants to set politics aside to do his job to help preserve the nation, elements within the party should not portray him as having misread the political landscape. We should speak loudly about the correctness of doing instead of talking.
Courage is doing what is right even when it will hurt you to do so. Isn't John McCain demonstrating that he is a leader? While Obama continues entertaining VIP donors and squawking about change as though he were some deranged panhandling parrot on a downtown street corner, McCain is working. It's time that Americans remember that everyone has a job to do and talking isn't the same as working.
But there's a byproduct to this turn of events that the Obama camp is struggling to deal with. With McCain back in D.C., debating the bailout package, and having made early statements opposing some of its measures, Obama has been sealed in the pickle jar.
On its face, we would expect that Obama would be in favor of the plan proposed by the Bush Administration. It has all of the elements of big government that comprise the stitching of the own economic parachute he has been promoting. It actually goes farther than his proposals in the amount of unchecked authority it would give the Treasury Secretary.
If McCain debates against the Bush plan, in whole or in part, or introduces his own roadmap out of the crisis, Obama has three options:
- Be a follower by standing on the same side as McCain.
- Support the Bush proposal, which negates his mantra of change.
- Abstain. The McCain campaign will respond with a talking points and email campaign highlighting - again - the frequency with which Obama has chosen not to show up to work.
It seems the McCain has cornered your king, Mr. Obama. Rematch in 2012?
If Obama was a leader, he would lead. Instead, he sticks his finger in the wind while McCain works to help his neighbors find shelter from the hurricane to come. Mr. Obama, your slip is showing. Gradually, people are beginning to see that Obama is purely narcissistic in nature; consumed by his own desires and unable to reach beyond them.
Who do we want manning the Oval Office? A effite snob who always has something better to do when there is work to be done, or a man who cancels their dinner party and heads to the river to pack sandbags? Most real people don't even like having to sit next to the snob at the dinner party.
Getting Americans to realize that that is the choice they are making in this election - an arrogant egocentric versus an unselfish leader - should be the focus of McCain's campaign staff while the senator is doing the work he was elected to do.
Obama can just keep eating rubber chicken for all I care.
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