Posted on 02/10/2008 3:50:53 PM PST by Founding Father
He’ll be our president, too: the person who gets himself (or, herself) elected, south of the border. For the U.S. president has at least as much power to influence the destiny of every Canadian as any prime minister we elect.
Both for those who do, and for those who don’t still think of Canada as a western country, that president is at least the captain of an alliance—formalized in NATO, but informally knitted together with a million historical strings. We can’t vote in U.S. elections, but we reserve the right to comment.
And I haven’t been commenting, much, only because I’ve been too horrified. There was not a single candidate, in the starting lists of either major U.S. party, whom I did not devoutly wish not to see in power. Mr. Giuliani of New York was my first Republican choice, by a process of default. Mr. McCain of Arizona is now my first choice, by further default. (I supported George W. Bush in 2000, because the alternative was John McCain.) Mrs. Clinton of Mars is my preference for the Democrat party, given the alternative is Mr. Obama of Venus. My faithful readers will grasp that when I, along with Ann Coulter, begin speaking favourably about Mrs. Clinton, the end is near. Ms. Coulter has finally gone over the top, however, and in a McCain-Clinton final, I’ll hold my nose for McCain.
One is reminded of the gubernatorial race in Louisiana, back in 1991, when Edwin Edwards, the notoriously corrupt three-term governor, was running against David Duke, a former Ku Klux Klansman. Edwards supporters brought out signs that read, “Vote for the crook. It’s important.”
In this case, it’s vote for the man who’ll support America’s troops, even if he gets everything else wrong. For Mr. McCain’s track record on the domestic and moral issues makes him indistinguishable from the wettest Democrat—a damp tissue of plausible sound-bites with no clear view of cause and effect. He will tax and he will spend.
The most I can hope is that the next U.S. president will not cut and run from Iraq, or from America’s role in any other foreign conflict.
To anyone who thinks a “kinder, gentler” America would be good for the world, I can only reply, get your head examined. For as I’ve argued endlessly, the alternatives to the American hyperpower—the powers that advance when America retreats—are uniformly unspeakable.
It is in this sense that a vote for Obama is a vote for Osama.
This has nothing to do with Barack Obama’s race, creed, or ideology. I do not doubt for a moment that Mr. Obama is a sincere Christian and patriotic American, and that he truly believes himself the New Man for the New Age.
I fear him rather on two accounts. The first is that he has no policies. He offers vague “feel good” on every domestic issue, and magic in foreign policy. Simply by his being Obama, and not Bush, the conflicts will go away. He will withdraw from Iraq. He will ignore Iran. And he will invade Pakistan (to get at Osama). People who say things like this, whether or not in a dream-like trance, are not eligible to be commander-in-chief. Or rather, should not be.
For the second problem with Mr. Obama is that he is eminently electable. Republicans do not seem to realize just how electable. For while Barack Hussein Obama does not entirely resemble the late Pierre Elliott Trudeau (who had his policy wonk side, and more native malice), he has that mystical androgynous quality that comes across hypnotically on TV.
It was the women who put Trudeau in power, and kept him there: the women’s vote in English Canada, plus the Liberal fiefdom in Quebec. It is the ditzier range of women in the borderline Red States that could elect President Obama: lonely women, and to some extent, their weak, “sensitive” men.
The ditz vote will never go gooey for Hillary Rodham Clinton: for a nasty woman puts women on their guard. But my gut, and innumerable female correspondents, tell me Obama is the man. The very sort of women who sustained Trudeau, up here, think he has some Philosophy, or something. They think he is speaking to their Inner Selves. They think he Wants them, he Needs them, Secretly. They think, He’s Not Like Other Men.
David Warren is a columnist for the Ottawa Citizen.
There will be blood in the streets.
Ohh I hope your right....
Yeah, but he brings change. never mind that the very few times he expresses an actual opinion or plan its boneheaded, he brings change.
Somehow, I do not think so.....
Yeah change like ... Great Depression part deux.. Attacks by Radical Islamists in the streets of America... Thats the kind of change America wants?
Hey all you hip youngsters being wooed by Hussein Obama... His First order of business..
DRAFT..
Ann Coulter (or possibly Laura Ingraham, but I think Ann) said that women should not be allowed to vote, for in general they don’t vote with their brains. That’s a gross over-simplification, but I suspect many women might agree with it.
Well, if Bloomberg gets in as an Independent, we’ll then have 3 liberal candidates to choose from.
Patriotic American!?!
This POS doesn't salute the American Flag, sing our National Anthem, or show any respect for America.
Take a look at his vermin:
It's not an over-simplification in the least. I've said that many times myself. I believe the country slid down-hill ever since women got the vote. I also believe the country would be better off if only property owners were allowed to vote.
Obama makes pretty speeches but when he’s in debates he tends to suck.
Those debates I’d like to see him in.
Actually, those of us who are now teetering over whether or not to continue to identify ourselves as practicing Republicans... realize full well how electable either Obama or Clinton are.
The problem is that we have no conservative candidate to vote for, since Senator Sessions declined to throw his hat in the ring. I can't even say that I blame him, given the poisonous agenda of the mainstream media.
He and the rest of us realize that no matter what rational policies a President may pursue in times of war, the press will always find a huge cohort of listeners waiting to be told what to think each evening. And the manipulation of reality by truth embargo, in the minds of those waiting to "keep up on current events" can work perhaps even a more effective undercutting of policy than open and outright yellow journalism.
There is no alternative now. And so, rather than sink into a black despair, we begin to tune out the elections, until the day where Americans have had their fill of "the worker's paradise", and wish to begin rebuilding the culture that produced freedom for so many.
I fear that the cost may become so high that any realistic return to our previous levels of prosperity and prospects for the future will probably not be seen again in our lifetimes.
But then, Japan and Germany were bombed into rubble, and yet within several decades rebuilt themselves into functioning and prosperous societies.
It will be interesting to see what it takes in years and tragedy, when this must be done WITHOUT a Marshall Plan from an overseas banker, just as you say it will be interesting to see how secure countries around the world remain once the American military umbrella is removed.
Good article.
“This POS doesn’t salute the American Flag”
I’m sure this wonderful vision he has for the future of America doesn’t have an American flag - you know with the stars and bars. (I don’t think he’d have a problem with a Cresent Moon on a red background though.)
Yes.
‘..Obama is that he is eminently electable. Republicans do not seem to realize just how electable....’
exactly. I believe Mrs. Clinton is beginning to realize that Mr. Obama is very electable. It’s astounding how many people....Republicans, as well as Democrats....are being swept up in Mr. Obama’s rhetoric. He’s promising a FREE chicken in every pot and a world full of sweetness and honey. Of course, he doesn’t tell us how he’ll accomplish this....similar to the many “present” or “not voting” representations since he’s been in Office... why take a stand or position...then you’ll have to be accountable.
And, neither the media or any other politician seems wlling to question Mr. Obama’s past decisions, lack of decisions or comments in his book which seem to contradict a “uniter” persona.
imho, I don’t believe Mr. Obama is qualified but, I do believe he is very electable and, unfortunately for our nation, he probably will be elected.
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