Why I Have To Vote For Barack Obama in 2008

As a true Independent who has voted for Democrats and Republicans, this is honestly the longest it has ever taken me to pick a candidate. I love John McCain. I don’t see him at all as “four more years of Bush.” I'm an ex-military man. I'm a free market capitalist. I'm for small government. But, I’m voting for Barack Obama.

So that I am clear, I am still not comfortable with Mr. Obama’s shockingly thin resume, in terms of his preparedness to lead the United States of America. And for such an intellectual, Mr. Obama’s “if they [Congress] need me, they will call me” response to the most dangerous financial/credit market crisis since the Great Depression and negative response to Mr. McCain’s call for both candidates (they are both sitting US Senators after all who are the current nominal leaders of their respective parties) to return to Washington to help move a resolution forward, shows a level of arrogance and lack of political awareness to the magnitude of a rare bipartisan opportunity such as to still amaze me. But, arrogance I can handle and don’t necessarily see as a bad trait in a President. Plus, it is clear to me now that Mr. Obama can be convinced to modify his faulty tax and economic policies. On the other hand, there is no substitute for judgment.

As it relates to his experience and service to the country, John McCain is imminently qualified to be President of the United States. But, since the end of the Democratic National Convention, his judgment seems erratic...all over the map. Because choosing the VP is the most important decision of a Presidential campaign and for me the choice of Sarah Palin reflects so poorly on the judgment of Mr. McCain, I have been sufficiently persuaded. After watching Palin in a series of interviews, no reasonable person could conclude that she has either the intellectual capacity or sufficient command of the important issues to be Vice President. I gave her the benefit of the doubt in her interview with Charles Gibson because I felt the much bantered question about the Bush Doctrine was a journalistic "gotcha" question, considering that Googling the phrase "Bush Doctrine" returns at least 6 different definitions. But, her recent interviews with Sean Hannity of the Fox News Channel and Katie Couric of the CBS Evening News were so bad that even conservatives, who weren’t exactly enamored with Mr. McCain either, have begun calling for her to withdraw "for the good of the party".

So, there you have it. I will not stop criticizing Mr. Obama when I feel it’s appropriate. Nor will I stop giving Mr. McCain props when I agree with him. And vice versa. However, I have made my decision and it is not subject to the Bradley Effect.

God bless you all and may God Bless America.

Related Posts: Why Barack Obama Will Win The 2008 Presidential Election, Why John McCain Will Win The 2008 Presidential Election