Daniel Henninger, WSJ:
The abuse being heaped on Sarah Palin is such a cheap shot.
The complaint against the Alaska governor, at its most basic, is that she doesn’t qualify for admission to the national political fraternity. Boy, that’s rich. Behold the shabby frat house that says it’s above her pay grade.
Congress has the lowest approval rating ever registered in the history of polling (12%!). She isn’t the reason polls are showing people want the entire Congress fired, with many telling pollsters they themselves could do a better job.
Sarah Palin didn’t design a system of presidential primaries whose length and cost ensures that only the most obsessional personalities will run the gauntlet, while a long list of effective governors don’t run.
These rules have wasted the electorate’s time the past three presidential elections, by filling the debates with such zero-support candidates as Dennis Kucinich, Mike Gravel, Al Sharpton, Duncan Hunter, Chris Dodd, Joe Biden (8,000 total votes), Wesley Clark and Alan Keyes.
Out of this process has fallen a Democratic nominee who entered the U.S. Senate in 2005 fresh off a stint in the Illinois state legislature, with next to no record of political accomplishment. He may be elected mainly because, in Colin Powell’s word, he is thought to be “transformational.” One may hope so.
By not bothering to look very deeply at the details beneath either candidate’s governing proposals, the media have created a lot of downtime to take free kicks at Gov. Palin. My former colleague, Tunku Varadarajan, has compiled a glossary of Palin invective, and I’ve added a few: “Republican blow-up doll,” “idiot,” “Christian Stepford wife,” “Jesus freak,” “Caribou Barbie,” “a dope,” “a fatal cancer to the Republican Party,” “liar,” “a national disgrace” and “her pretense that she is a woman.”If American politics is at low ebb, it is because so many of its observers enjoy working in its fetid backwash.
The primary discomfort with Gov. Palin is the notion that she doesn’t have sufficient experience to be president, that Sen. McCain should have picked a Washington hand seasoned in the ways of the world. Such as? Here’s an opinion poll question:
If as Joe Biden suggests the U.S. is likely to be tested by a foreign enemy next year, who of the following would you rather have dealing with it in the Oval Office: Nancy (of Damascus) Pelosi, Harry Reid, John Edwards, Joe (the U.S. drove Hezbollah out of Lebanon) Biden, Mike Huckabee, Geraldine Ferraro, Tom DeLay, Jimmy Carter or Sarah Palin?
My pick? Gov. Palin, surely the most grounded, common-sense person on that list of prime-time politicians.
The established political pros let the selection process come to this. Presidential candidates such as John McCain and Barack Obama have become untethered from the discipline of party institutions, largely because the parties have lost coherence. So we get celebrity candidates made famous, fundable and electable by dint of their access to the Beltway media. For voters, this election is a national Hail Mary.
For nearly two years, all the major candidates have rotated through our lives as solitary personalities attended by careerist campaign professionals. Barack, Hillary, Rudy, Mitt, Mike, McCain. When the moment arrived to pick a running mate, input from the parties was minimal. That famous party boss, Caroline Kennedy, advised Barack Obama. They picked a three-decade denizen of the Senate. John McCain’s obligation was himself and his endless slog to this big chance.
The quick surge of party-wide excitement and campaign contributions after his selection of Sarah Palin made clear that the McCain candidacy was moribund and headed for a low-turnout debacle. If he had picked any of the plain-vanilla men on his veep short list — Pawlenty, Sanford, Romney or Lieberman — they’d have won approval from the media’s college of cardinals, and killed his campaign.
The stoning of Sarah Palin has exposed enough cultural fissures in American politics to occupy strategists full-time until 2012. We now see there is a left-to-right elite centered in New York, Washington, Hollywood and Silicon Valley who hand down judgments of the nation’s mortals from their perch atop the Bell Curve.
It seems only yesterday that the most critical skill in presidential politics was being able to connect to people in places like Bronko’s bar or Saddleback Church. When Gov. Palin showed she excelled at that, the goal posts suddenly moved and the new game was being able to talk the talk in London, Paris, Tehran or Moscow. She looks about a half-step behind Sen. Obama on that learning curve.
Lorne Michaels, the executive producer of “Saturday Night Live,” lives on the forward wave of American life. This week he gave his view of Sarah Palin to EW.com: “I think Palin will continue to be underestimated for a while. I watched the way she connected with people, and she’s powerful. Her politics aren’t my politics. But you can see that she’s a very powerful, very disciplined, incredibly gracious woman. This was her first time out and she’s had a huge impact. People connect to her.”
Uh-oh. Sounds like the cancer could be in remission.
Sadly, I doubt it.
But at the very least, its cause has been diagnosed. And in the process, we’ve learned that many of the “best” political doctors are riddled with the very disease they pretend to battle.
(h/t Terry H)
****
unrelated: for those of you looking for Patterico’s site, the temporary bookmark is here.
thor, I don’t think, is welcome — at least in posts penned by Karl. Because of the bruising.
I’ve never understood the mentality of people like David Brooks and Kathy Lopez who are so willing to sink the McCain/Palin boat by “boldly” expressing their distaste for the VP selection.
We get that you don’t like her, but Obama/Biden is better, how?
The Buckley’s of the world however, can go piss up a rope.
Nuance, it’s the brown sugar added to ginger bread men.
Victory of Hillary Rodham Clinton. Victory over John McCain.
“Next to” Obama’s political accomplishments, what’s out there that’s bigger than his trivial accomplishments?
– Well, now now, lets not be too harsh on the Benedicts of the legacy Media. Doesn’t matter what your politics are, loyalty and the extent of their fickleness ends at the paychecks edge.
– I don’t agree that this is a “cheap” shot, its anything but cheap. The MSM and O! campaigns are pouring bus loads of money into the “politics of personal destruction” against her, to use one of Hillery’s favorite homolies.
– Palin seems to represent Obama and the Left’s worst white-bread nightmare, and their panicky full court press, pun intended, shows that clearly.
– If there is any justice, the blowback may just carry McDinosaur to victory, which wouldn’t be a bad way to spend the next four years, posting comment after comment “in thor’s face”, helping him and Cleo, and the other fuckturd trolls, grow their own special ulcer gardens.
oh. Brooks is just an effete pussy whose most remarkable quality is that he’s a nontautological effete pussy. Most guys can’t pull that off. With Lopez it’s different. Fat girls a lot have to seize the moment when there’s some pretty skinny bitch they can feel superior to. She can’t help herself really.
– Feets. “Ouch”.
If as Joe Biden suggests the U.S. is likely to be tested by a foreign enemy next year, who of the following would you rather have dealing with it in the Oval Office: Nancy (of Damascus) Pelosi, Harry Reid, John Edwards, Joe (the U.S. drove Hezbollah out of Lebanon) Biden, Mike Huckabee, Geraldine Ferraro, Tom DeLay, Jimmy Carter or Sarah Palin?
My pick? Gov. Palin, surely the most grounded, common-sense person on that list of prime-time politicians.
Exactly. Details can be learned. Courage, common sense, and commitment to principle ya gotta have going in.
How about this:
Feets, that was way over the top, especially for you.
Well done. I approve.
But I’m a bastard.
Spectacularly refreshing that Palin ran something substantial by reforming it. Meanwhile O! ran nothing substantial by kissing its ass. O! is part of the problem of corrupt government — Illinois ranks dead last in most rights folks hold essential and his record on the Constitution is literally, factually as bad as they get.
Besides, Palin can actually present reality without blinking: She tore O! positively in half in a recent speech, and every point resonated because it was true and because she delivered it with a hammer. Having truth on your side makes for an efficient delivery — how many stammerings does the average O! sermonette have?
In terms of doing a proper job as a public servant, not taking shit from the media and the Hollywood crowd, and not dispensing pallets and warehouses of lies, Sarah Palin is twice the man O! is. Now that she’s out there and vetted, that’s crystal clear.
At the same time the wheels are coming off what little integrity O! ever had. You’d have to be dead not to see this.
All part of the pomo Europeanization of the political “class” of the US. “Get your hands off government, you damn dirty peasants!”
She might be able to connect with the small town elitists, with the Homers who know of no Greek named Homer, with the hayseeds and hillbillies, but that’s not a critical skill. It’s called pandering to idiots.
oh, darn it!
I hadn’t seen any of thor’s comments for about a week and I was quite enjoying it. I guess my involuntary thor-blocker has worn off.
“Main Street” is just a book, thor.
Maybe. But Brooks is a self-promoting NPR tool and National Review is a moribund and rank collective of little boys and girls what had crushes on Alex Keaton and I can’t stand them.
“small town elitists”
Good god are you fucking stupid.
This comedy writes itself.
The Karl thing was kind of gratuitous.
The idiocy of self-determination and self-actualization, thorboi. Sucks nuzzling the teat of grey nihilism, occasionally rising all the way to lofty Epicurian delight on your stumpy back legs, no?
Because that you’d be an expert about.
Homer that, Greekologist.
Alex Keaton….
I don’t remember if the show lasted long enough to tell us what happened to the youngest. The middle girl was an airhead, hippie parents, wall street square, what’s missing from this picture?
“She might be able to connect with the small town elitists, with the Homers who know of no Greek named Homer, with the hayseeds and hillbillies, but that’s not a critical skill. It’s called pandering to idiots.”
Yet more condescending drivel from a reactionary leftist fucktard.
NOW WITH EVEN MORE STEREOTYPEâ„¢.
Well played, sir.
Quit pandering to yourself P-brain.
Thor hates him the bitches. Why? Competition and thor is finally figuring it out.
I don’t think I mind them not liking Palin. I mind them very much them being taken in by the likes of O.
Thanks, Jeff, for the P-rico link.
You just give and give.
thor,
“Nuance, it’s the brown sugar added to ginger bread men.”
That’s funny. Sometimes you drop a gem or two here.
Truth be told, if anything they are trying to stick on Palin was true, they wouldn’t have to bother. It’s the fact that she is a very credible force that they are so scared of her. They are trying not only to discredit her on this occasion but for all future occasions. We wouldn’t want to have to logically accept that if the question is experience, the answer in four years time will be … in spades!
Oops there go the code words again.
– Sarah, it very much remains to be seen if the Majority of the electorate will be “taken in”.
– It hasn’t worked tha last two times, and the Left is once again running a basically unelectable candidate on a hope and a prayer, and additional crooked politics and lies.
– You know as well as anyone, that a great many people don’t get interested until the last few days. We’ll see.
– At least Biden and Murtha are doing their best to help McCain.
If only more of the Left was like this. But then for most the “personal is political”, so any disagreement is a personal attack. A “dis”.
thor, I live in a small town replete with Cul-chah, hippies, and theYarts. You’re a damn fool.
– WonderBoy’s trip to Hawaii is another dodge, designed to silence the Ads and campaign questions about his extreme associations and temper the heat from his “tax and spend” comments.
Since any criticism of the Great Barak results in cries of racism, try to imagine a press conference with President Obama.
President O: Yes Ms. Mitchell?
Andrea Mitchell: U justed wanted to say how fabulous you look!
President O: Thanks Andrea. Chris?
Chris Buckley: I just want to second that and say what a pleasure it is to be here.
President O: Thanks Chris, it looks like I am the change you were looking for, aren’t I? Other Chris?
Chris Matthews: Tingles sir!
President O: Thanks Chris. If there are no more questions, I have a meeting with comra … er … President Chavez. Thanks and goodnight.
dang typos!
Palin really has nothing to do with it.
i think if this was 04, NR and others would be happy to give her the benefit of the doubt.
but Bush has turned everyone off to the idea of “high-character, low command of the details” type leadership.
Put another way, if we weren’t going into a potentially bitter recession that has the ability to lead to something much, much worse, with two high-casualty, unresolved wars on the plate, Obama would be the new Palin.
because he is just way, way over-rated.
Mcgruder – I must beg to differ. Not over rated so much as totally unrated.
… or is it that under the radar.
– ‘Course, not to fear. the Jackasses have Joe “three letter word – jobs” Biden to carry the party banner in the ones absence.
– Something like having Freddie Krueger sub for your 2nd grade class while you’re ill.
– That has to be warming the cockles of their socks.
We now see there is a left-to-right elite centered in New York, Washington, Hollywood and Silicon Valley who hand down judgments of the nation’s mortals from their perch atop the Bell Curve.
Pet Peeve:
“atop the Bell Curve” means that you’re average.
50th percentile.
No.Great.Shakes.
Perfectly average.
which may be correct, but not what the author intended.
That’s not two things.
Bumper – perhaps he meant that they were above the bell curve all together, given their exalted status. I chewed on that one for a second too, and came away with the above.
I took the bell curve thing to mean the ivy league elites may think they are more intelligent, but are really just average.
Educated doesn’t equal intelligent.
“Educated doesn’t equal intelligent.”
– One of those “inconvenient truths”.
Usually the bell curve is after you order but before you drive up and grab your tacos.
LMAO @ Happy. Excellent.
Psycho, oh yes it is.
Hey it’s Lisa! A Lisa sighting. I am cheered up.
#26 I hope most people aren’t. I think Chris Buckley is kind of gullible, though.
I have friends who are very resistant to examining B’s past cause they like the product they were sold on.
It’s like a washing machine forum, some people get really loyal to the purchase they made and beat up on people complaining of pump failure or soap after rinsing, or the communist that ghost-wrote the manual.
Of course, the Bell Curve can be used to bump things up that didn’t quite make the grade. For instance, in order to get into Hahvard because, after all, the bar was set too high and/or was moved just as Michelle and Barry were ready to vault it.
And in the process, we’ve learned that many of the “best†political doctors are riddled with the very disease they pretend to battle.
In a way I think that’s the most beneficial part of the election season: many masks have come off.
Please add to you list of invectives “Gucci-pumped face-plant.”
Because the man that is thor is well above girl-envy doped metrosexuality.
Protein Wisdom. For mom-hating Greekologists, it’s cheaper than therapy.
I mean honestly, we can try and pick Palin apart all we want but only someone in the right pay grade could afford that wardrobe. i heard she dropped like $1500 on clothes recently. Maybe she doesn’t have the security clearance yet but pay grade, she’s got to be there! And if want to start talking about who is really qualified start thinking about the liberal illuminati who are trying to get into office. Are they really qualified either. On that note… who is REALLY qualified to run a nation. I’m not sure anybody really is “qualified”.
Actually EW, the RNC got her clothes, and they go to charity when she is finished with them.
Is it your opinion that only the rich should run for POTUS?
Do you even know what a high-casualty war looks like? Because when you *do* have them, you see things like 2LT -> LTC in 2 years or fewer.
Mark, perhaps he was referring to the war on drugs and the war on poverty.
She looks about a half-step behind Sen. Obama
must be the black half
Put another way, if we weren’t going into a potentially bitter recession that has the ability to lead to something much, much worse, with two high-casualty, unresolved wars on the plate, Obama would be the new Palin.
I bought 4 newspapers a day for 32 years. Bilge like this is why I quit, cold turkey, 3 years ago. The next issue I buy will be the one with the $5 bill taped to the front.
“…but only someone in the right pay grade could afford that wardrobe”
– Obamas three ring circus of a campaign has spent roughly 300+ million so far, on what amounts to a media driven massive lie selling scam, and you’re retort is her 150K wardrobe.
– The Left is an endless clown car of bozo’x, with these pathetic comebacks.Must be a bitch, having to act that feckless all the time.
Because of the “Don’t get stuck on stupid, Reporter.”
Look everyone who underestimated Palin, (Stein, Carney, Ruedrich, Murkowski, Kilkenny, have had to eat a big heaping of crow. Some like Ruedrich, ended up in jail, what the “New Republic” calls the result of petty resentments (someone who doesn’t like corruption, fancy that)Others like Kilkenny and Lydia Green, have gotten back with
vicious slanders; like the Trig is her grandson tripe. But they are almost invariably out of the picture; kind of like Wile E Coyote, perplexed at the RoadRunner.
You know you’ve hit rock bottom when you are reduced to criticizing the clothes choices of a candidate.
Next on MSNBC why does Sarah Palin use so much conditioner? Journalists, less trusted than politicians and lawyers.
Yes, I would love someone who can name 1 Supreme Court case handling a national crisis. Shouldn’t we expect more from people who could or will be running this country?
I wonder how much Baracky’s Greekopolis cost.
Thomas, do you think only lawyers should be allowed in DC?
I’m not a lawyer and on the spot, I could name 10 Supreme Court cases. If I were interested in going into politics or was in politics, I would remember my high school civics class. Supreme Court cases, Constitutional role of the VP, etc. . .
WTF does naming a Supreme Court case have to do with handling a crisis?
And that has what to do with your ability to handle a crisis?
So you’re voting against Obama/Biden? Because Biden got the VP’s role wrong, and Palin got it right.
The relevance is a basic lack of intelligence about the business that she has gone into: Government, Politics, Civic Duty.
Do you believe that a lack of knowledge of the history of this country makes this woman likely to handle a crisis with an even mind? Is she going to be making decisions on her gut feel?
Really? The Vice President runs the Senate?
“Of course we know what a vice president does, and that’s not only preside over the Senate, and we’ll take that position very seriously, also, I’m thankful that the Constitution would allow a bit more authority given to the vice president also if that vice president so chose to exert it in working with the Senate….”
The formal powers and role of the vice president are limited by the Constitution to becoming President should the President become unable to serve (e.g. due to the death, resignation, or medical impairment of the President) and sometimes acting as the presiding officer of the U.S. Senate in the case of a deadlocked vote.
“Really? The Vice President runs the Senate?
– The VP does not “run” the Senate. He oversees it and chairs important functions such as state of the union addresses, honorariums for notables, etc. His only legislative duty is to break ties on votes, if necessary.
– Obviously you should count yourself out as VP material by your own standards Thomas.
Tommy boy, she said preside over the Senate. That’s what “President of the Senate” means. Beyond not having a vote unless the case of a tie, the Constitution doesn’t restrict what “President of the Senate” means.
How do you know she lacks knowledge of US history? It’s made up of more than the US Supreme Court, you know.
How many days has Barack Obama spent in an executive position of anything except a political campaign? How’d it turn out?
What gives you any confidence that Obama will be capable of handling a crisis? He’s shown no evidence of any such ability — if anything, he’s shown a history of avoiding making decisions.
Aw, fuck it. I’m so sick of retards who think spouting crap they heard from a TV talking head is the height of intelligence.
“What gives you any confidence that Obama will be capable of handling a crisis? He’s shown no evidence of any such ability”
– Apparently WonderBoy’s own VP running mate is afraid of exactly that situation. Afraid enough he actually predicts a crisis and asks for advance forgiveness when his highness junps the shark if he gets in.
– You just can’t buy that sort of confidence by even the people surrounding CandyMan.
The relevance is a basic lack of intelligence about the business that she has gone into: Government, Politics, Civic Duty.
As opposed to Biden not knowing what Article I of the Constitution says?
As opposed to Baracky placing Healthcare into the Bill of Rights?
This has been the prevailing narrative on MSNBC for a couple days, when they are not talking about TEH HYPOKKKKKKRisy of Gov. Palin’s clothes.
Gov Palin did not actually make clothing purchases. The RNC did the shopping for all the Palins campaign appearances. She and her her husband a people of modest means and while she stumped for Governor of AK, she often appeared in very casual clothing such as jogging outfits.
Her wardrobe expenses for the General Election of 2008 are minimal in a $500 M plus (both parties)Presidential campaign. Wasn’t it Gore that had to have several make-overs and his own personal stylist to get past his “wooden” image in the 2000 campaign? Wonder how much money his campaign paid for that?
The role of the VP is limited to asking the president how he is every day, and presiding over the senate, and casting a tie-breaking vote.
So the only official duties the VP has are within the legislative branch. It is a unique role, being elected in one branch and serving its only constitutional function in another.
MikeyNTH – One might think that world-class Constitutional scholar and foreign policy guru Joe Biden (routinely snubbed by even his own party) would know more about the role of the VP. But, considering he also thought post 9/11 was a good time to give away $200,000,000,000 to Iran, and partition off Iraq would be a good strategy, I guess not.
I’ve actually toyed with the idea that Biden is a Hillary mole.
Sarah Palin could physically beat the shit out of thor. I mean, literally, whip his ass, in a fist fight. I’d bet 5 large on it.
And Sarah is my home girl. So, like, I’ve got her back. C’mon thor, get warmed up–stretch a bit. Don’t want to pull anything.
#75 meya
Why yes, because it is accepted wisdom that inauthentic woman of conservative persuasion never engage in sarcastic humor, even mildly or slyly.
She must have watched Idiocracy. The most pro-America movie.
question meya
Do you think there are no parts of America that are more pro-American than others?
I can think of several areas where anti-Americanism is hip, chic and what the Beautiful People engage in.
I once had a turtle named meya.
I can think of several areas where anti-Americanism is hip, chic and what the Beautiful People engage in.
1. Washington, D.C.
2. Hollywood
3t. Big Academy
3t. Big Media
“Do you think there are no parts of America that are more pro-American than others?”
One is most. Certainly the rest is less.
“I can think of several areas where anti-Americanism is hip, chic and what the Beautiful People engage in.”
Whats that they say? “They hate us because of our freedoms”? Yeah.
Reading meya’s comments makes me realize how much I miss bong hits.
Well Dan, in political time, it actually was just yesterday that, as you put it “…the most critical skill in presidential politics was being able to connect to people in places like Bronko’s bar or Saddleback Church.†If you will recall, that’s how we got the complete moron that’s been occupying the White House for the past 8 years. Now I know a Bush/Palin ticket is probably something you’ve had adolescent dreams about; but you really need to wake up to the reality of the nightmare; created when too many people went down the “gee whiz, he’s just like me†philosophy of electing a president. If you don’t mind, I’d really like to try and keep it to one nightmare per century.
If Barack Obama comes out on top November 4th, one of the reasons will be the overwhelming jolt of fear that was thrown into the voting public. Of course, not the fear that McCain and company wanted to take hold; but the fear that someone as utterly inept as Sarah Palin could get so close to the Presidency. And that a presidential candidate could make such an unwise choice.
So Dan, to paraphrase Governor Palin, “No thanks to another candidate to nowhere“.
how so? and what has Obama actually done?
To maggie katzen-
I am obviously not going to change your mind on this; but, there is plenty of videotape to look at. SP placing her foot squarely in her mouth. Or just a dear in the headlights. Oh, that’s right. It was the mean and nasty liberal media that made her do that. I forgot.
We will have to agree between ourselves to disagree as to your bald assertion that Pres. Bush is anything of the sort. I’d more easily be convinced it is you about whom this assertion might be made truthfully than that it might be made truthfully about Pres. Bush. As to your nightmare comment you know not whereof you speak. So for the rest of the drivel you write, what hope?
Yes Sdferr, disagree and throw some more stones at me, if it makes you happy.
Fact: The vast majority of the American public is, to put it mildly, disenchanted with the current president. I would “hope” it would be humbling for you to be in the minority for once. But humility does not seem to be one of the right’s strong suits.
SP placing her foot squarely in her mouth.
Yo, Patrick.
unlike, say, Joe Biden? notice it’s a series….
my person favorite.
also like how FDR was on TV in 1929. The French helped us kick Hezb’ out of Lebanon, etc… etc…
but Palin’s the moron. m’kay.
and I notice you couldn’t come up with any Obama accomplishments. no executive experience. What makes you think he can make an important decision? particularly when he can’t even come up with his own opinion on when life begins.
Apparently, they’ve been watching the left and taking notes.
Joe Biden makes Sarah Palin look like Lincoln, Washington, Jefferson, Meir, Thatcher, and Einstein all rolled into one.
I guess that’s the one thing to look forward to if Obama wins, Pablo. COMEDY GOLDMINE!!! unless of course they hide him in an undisclosed location. But I don’t see Biden letting them do that.
I actually believe I’m almost always in the minority, Patrick. I don’t know whether I ought to be put “on the right” as such. Perhaps you and I would need a great deal more information as to my particular views to reach any valid conclusion on that score.
As to my humility, that’s for other people to judge. I try hard not to put myself in error and if I do so, admit the error straight up, figure out where I went wrong and do better next time. I don’t form my opinions by taking a poll to see where everybody else stands. I don’t know whether others do this either. I have the moral sentiments I have, however I may have got them, and together with those sentiments I mix my necessarily limited knowledge of the purposes of Government and public acts and the relevant fact conditions and reach my conclusions as to appropriate policy accordingly.
As to throwing stones, I don’t know what you mean. I don’t think I’m throwing any stones, metaphorically or otherwise.
Sdferr wrote: I don’t form my opinions by taking a poll to see where everybody else stands.
Well, fortunately for America the big poll is coming up on Nov. 4. While I’m sure hell will have to freeze over for you to “reshape” your opinion; I have done some reshaping on my end. There was a time when I respected Senator McCain and thought about voting for him. That’s been awhile ago though. Oh, I guess that would just be flip flopping.
Flip-flopping is a term I generally use to describe politicians who change their policy stances in order to better accord with popular opinion and thus, they seem to think, win more votes. I don’t use the term to describe citizens like yourself whose opinions may change for any number of reasons unknown to me.
Should McCain win I think I’ll likely oppose his policy prescriptions wherever they don’t fit with my view of the long term interests of the nation and will support those that do. Same thing with Sen Obama. It is on the merits of the particular policies that I’ll decide whether to support or oppose. Not on my personal view of the man, his habits (smoking or non-smoking?) or any other such extraneous stuff. In other words, I won’t be out campaigning against this fellow or that on the general principle that I think he’s a dunce or some such nonsense.