outsidein

• Red, White and Blue

  September 5, 2008 @ 10:33 am | by Bryan

  

  US Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain appears on stage to introduce his vice-presidential running mate, Alaska governor Sarah Palin.

  A phrase Barack Obama has used in a couple of speeches is, “There’s not a red America and a blue America. There’s the United States of America.” Having watched the Democratic and then the Republican Party Convention, I’m not sure that’s true.

  John McCain definitely kept the presidential race interesting when he picked Sarah Palin as his running-mate. The tone and tenor, even the look of the audience at the Republican convention was very different to that at the Democrats’. And yet both sides seem to have really energised their bases.

  I’m not into melodrama, but I think this election will play a disproportionately large role in determining what a future America will look like. John McCain is running on a theme of reform, while Obama wants to change things – I believe both of them are sincere. McCain, maverick as he may be, still represents America as it has been till now.

  The reason this election is so close, in spite of the unpopularity of the current president, is that most people are risk averse. As exciting as Obama is, he is very different. He probably reminds a lot of people of the changing demographics and values in the United States. That kind of change frightens some people. John McCain, and even more so Sarah Palin, represent to some, the best of the past, just done better.

  I think the election result will depend on whether blue America has grown larger than red America. At the end of the day, I don’t think many will pay much attention to real issues. Most people will decide which candidates represent the way they want the country to look and vote for that person.
• Comments Feed
•  | 
• Share This
11 Comments »
1.
September 5, 2008
10:59 am
McCain’s selection of Palin was perfect. Her speech was powerful. I think she undid some of the progress of Hilary Clinton and Michelle Obama at targeting certain demographics.
“Stand up for America, stand up and fight, nothing is inevitable, we are Americans, we never give up, we fight, we don’t hide from history, we make history!”
McCain showed he is strong, confident and in control. He’s going to get votes because of his strong-headed approach. It’s a needed type of leadership for America to maintain it’s status in the world. As you said in an earlier post, the world is no longer uni-polar. If Obama wins, McCain should come manage European foreign policy!
Comment by AnonyMouse
2.
September 5, 2008
11:34 am
“If Obama wins, McCain should come manage European foreign policy!”
And if McCain wins, Obama should be employed in the role of American foreign policy. I think there is America’s foreign policy as it sees the world and then there is there is Americas policy as the rest of the world has seen it, and its not a pretty sight at all.
Since America began to learn where most countries were around the world, under Bush’ tenure, it has systematically interfered, enraged, destroyed and botched the vast majority of its diplomatic engagements. Russia is on the warpath again ably annoyed by missile bases being set up in Poland and possible the Czech Republic, and the potential inclusion of Georgia into NATO at Americas behest. They are wealthy once more and may yet decide to pump all their assets into the military again. Iran has given two fingers to the US, as the other countries in the region dont want to see it further unsettled plus Iran is a much harder prospect than Iraq was. I darent even delve further into the mess that is Iraq or Afghanistan.
America needs to clean up the mess on its own doorstep before it goes telling others how to manage their homes (i’m still in awe how Condaleesa Rice who sat on the war council is going around as a peace mediator these days) - high unemployment, huge debt and poverty and disproportion of wealth, increasingly violent gun crime in universities, underage pregnancies (Texas has one of the highest levels, G.W’s bible belt backyard no less), poor healthcare and inneffective school education systems. Sounds like problems affecting so many countries at the moment, but the next US president should look to fix the problems at home as a priority.
The only war america is involved with right now is the war with itself. there is a clear divide between democrat and republican. I think its akin to the divide before the civil war where neither side will settle with the outcome of this presidential race if it goes against them. And that is the measure of history we may yet see, either America unites or the division becomes so deep it may well be irreperable. It was hard to imagine breakaway regions from China and Russia not so long ago.
Comment by paul m
3.
September 5, 2008
11:37 am
I pretty much abhor McSame & Pain, but can’t believe a paragraph in RTÉ’s report on the speech in which they said that McCain mentioned his battle scars and went on to say that he didn’t mention the scars inflicted by US troops on citizens in Iraq/Afghanistan.
This article has now been edited out of the RTÉ website but was an incredible slice of sarcastic editorial masquerading as a news report.
They’ve been in trouble lately with Fine Gael for putting up a harsh poll on the website, and the polls in particular ask unbelievably loaded/slanted questions. There seems to be no appropriate journalistic editorial of that website; what’s going on?!
Comment by An Fear Bolg
4.
September 5, 2008
12:24 pm
McCain showed he is strong, confident and in control. He’s going to get votes because of his strong-headed approach. It’s a needed type of leadership for America to maintain it’s status in the world. As you said in an earlier post, the world is no longer uni-polar.
This is simply not true, by any cursory viewing of recent events. McCain introduced two new key themes to his campaign this week, and dumped his key stump issue. “Peace” (whatever that means?) and “Change” were the new buzzwords for McCain last night, while “experience” was put onto the pyre of issues that didn’t go down well with the polls. How can completely remodelling your message at this late stage be regarded as “strong” and “confident”, when it betrays the polar opposite? Not least when “change” has been the key buzzword of your direct rival. Only the sycophant could fail to notice, what in 2004 was called “flip-flopping”, from McCain.
He’s voted with 90% of the time over the past eight years, yet now he lauds bi-partisanship and sports a broom to clean up Washington, with his vice-presidential candidate whose main campaign point is that she opposes earmarks and corruption, though she hired a lobbying firm specifically to obtain inordinate levels of earmarks for her community. McCain’s message isn’t just wobbling, it’s lurching to the frankly farcial.
McCain himself is a model of contradictions, cleaning up Washington with Karl Rove’s protégé as his campaign manager, packing his campagin team with lobbyists and nodding to K-Street at every possible chance. McCain has compromised his integrity for this ticket, and it shows.
Rove infamously defeated McCain in 2000 by smearing his adopted Bangladeshi child as an illegitimate black child. Now McCain has his protégé in a key position in his campaign, he has decided to hold his nose in order to win. We know McCain as a decent guy and this obviously rankles with him, but if this is your idea of “strong” and “confident” then I would question your objectivity.
Comment by Steve K
5.
September 5, 2008
1:24 pm
Steve K:
I didn’t hear the words “peace” and “change” in McCains speech. I did hear reform throughout, which has been consistent throughout his campaign.
Regardless, I don’t think the lack of negatives is necessarily an indication of strengths for Obama. What does Obama really stand for behind the flashing lights and buzz words such as “change” and “peace”? No bills, no planned reforms to any laws… but he does give a great speech!
Comment by AnonyMouse
6.
September 5, 2008
3:55 pm
I don’t think McCain was sincere in his selection of Palin as a running mate. I believe this was an attempt to woo the demographic that McCain beleives Obama lost in not picking Hillary, i.e. blue collar america and women’s groups. Palin is not a ’stand alone’ politician at this level of the game. She wouldn’t go past the first republic primary in 2012 if she ever decided to run (Assuming McCain will be too old to run in 2012). McCain’s has a two-fold arguement which I feel is an insult to american intelligensia. 1) He’s spinning the success of the Iraqi troop surge as a marker of his sound judgement. How did America get into that war by the way? I rest my case…
2) He constantly flaunts his ’scars of wars past’ and wears them as a pendant assuring America’s safety in ‘wars future’. That, in my opinion, is stoking the fears of ordinary folk.
I kinda feel sorry for Palin, a mere pawn in a game more calculated and complex than she could ever grasp.
Comment by Leeroy
7.
September 6, 2008
8:58 am
Steve K:
I didn’t hear the words “peace” and “change” in McCains speech. I did hear reform throughout, which has been consistent throughout his campaign.
“Peace” placards were handed out to the entire convention and were waved for the entire speech. No reference was made to this during his speech.
He made references to “Change” 11 times in his speech. For example:
“And let me offer an advance warning to the old, big spending, do nothing, me first, country second Washington crowd: change is coming.”
“And when we tell you we’re going to change Washington, and stop leaving our country’s problems for some unluckier generation to fix, you can count on it.”
“We were elected to change Washington, and we let Washington change us. ”
“We’re going to change that. We’re going to recover the people’s trust by standing up again for the values Americans admire.”
“I know some of you have been left behind in the changing economy and it often seems your government hasn’t even noticed. Government assistance for unemployed workers was designed for the economy of the 1950s. That’s going to change on my watch.”
“In America, we change things that need to be changed.”
“We need to change the way government does almost everything: ”
“We have to catch up to history, and we have to change the way we do business in Washington. ”
Regardless, I don’t think the lack of negatives is necessarily an indication of strengths for Obama. What does Obama really stand for behind the flashing lights and buzz words such as “change” and “peace”? No bills, no planned reforms to any laws… but he does give a great speech!
Comment by Steve K
8.
September 7, 2008
5:23 pm
AnonyMouse - you might like to check this out: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2008/0905/1220544890619.html?via=mr
Paul - I think you’re spot on. Were I an American, I think my biggest concern would be the increasing polarization in that country. The schism between the parties and people with different political views is terrible. What I think is worse is the fact that many are content to just here their side’s views and seem incapable to accept that things are not always black and white.
AFB - because it is such a close and important race, I think all of us are finding it very difficult to be objective.
Leeroy - check out http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2008/0905/1220544890619.html?via=mr
I think Palin knows exactly what she is getting herself involved with. I don’t feel sorry for her at all. In fact, She worries me a little. Remember how the conservatives, especially the religious base of the Republicans were excited about GW Bush once upon a time? I have a sneaky suspicion that Palin will remind people of that old saying, ‘be careful what you wish for…’
Steve - I think there is a lot of cynicism in politics today. McCain is unfortunately not an exception. I guess he felt that he needed Rove to do to Obama what had been done to him if he is to stand a chance of getting into the White House.
Comment by Bryan
9.
September 8, 2008
12:24 am
Europeans should begin to clearly understand this point, Americans want out of European affairs, especially NATO!! Its time for the EU to build thier own Military and allow the US to come home. OBAMA will do just that. His social programs will require a major downsizing of US Military Forces. Americans welcome a withdaw from NATO, and troop withdrawls in South Korea, & Japan. As for the Russians, the EU is a major world economic power, start spending money on a solid Military and recruit your own soldiers. Vote OBAMA, get us out of NATO, PLEASE!
Comment by GWOT/IRAQI Marine Vet
10.
September 8, 2008
3:48 pm
Palin’s popularity baffles and scares me.What has she said on Iraq, on Afghanistan,on Iran or on Palestine and Israel????This si what we have to worry about. I honestly believe she hasnt a clue what really goes on in the world!
Needless to say I believe we will have alot to worry about if the Republicans get into office again
Comment by h
11.
September 8, 2008
9:58 pm
GWOT/IRAQI Marine Vet - The interesting thing is that while I’m sure that most Europeans would welcome having the US military downscale and move out of European affairs, few want to see an EU army.
h - The truth is that what Palin thinks about anything is probably not that important. I can’t see McCain listening much to anyone but himself.
Comment by Bryan

Leave a comment

• Name (*)
  
• Mail (*) (will not be published)
  
• Website
  
• Comment
  
• Submit