So much of what we see in politics is the gotcha type. The he said she said. One thing that I like about Senator Obama is that for the most part (he isnt perfect) he has elevated this to a new level. He reminds us that we can achieve greatness, that America can indeed be a leader. He reminds us (and did tonight in the faith based forum) that the world isnt black and white.
Perhaps in the 50s it was. Maybe in 1950 Senator McCain would be the one we might be looking for. Thankfully we are not in 1950, we live in a world where nuance is everything. We live in a world where war mongering isnt good enough. Yes its a great sound bite, yes it sounds tough but we have had 8 years of tough and frankly it has been a disaster as we can all attest.
This conference (not a debate) showed the clear differences. Senator Obama appreciates the world we live in at this time. It is a complicated world where it isnt a simple yes no answer. He likes those but much like he doesnt get the internet Im not sure he gets the complex world we live in. I give him kudos (and so does Senator Obama) for what he has dealt with when he was a younger man. It helped shape him but that doesnt make him the man for this time. In fact I would argue strongly that it makes him the man of yesterday. I dont think he gets the nuance and I want my president to understand the consequences of decisions. I want him or her to agonize about sending people into harms way. I want them to think about what will happen after the fighting stops. Senator Obama gets the nuance, gets that we no longer live in a simple world where things are clear. He is the leader we need.
I think this showed that to the American public. It showed him as a thoughtful leader who shows leadership and judgement. Sometimes experience places one in a moment in time. Im afraid that Senator McCain although a good man is simply not the leader that this country needs or deserves for a complicated world. I want judgement. I want someone who thinks agonizes before he puts our fellow countryman at risk.
If the issue is experience than again that is a false argument. What experience is it that shapes you. For Senator McCain it is the war and his dealing with it. Then the world was simpler. There wasnt a true global economy, we were in a cold war. It was a different time and needed a different leader.
Senator Obama came to age in a very different world. One where there is no cold war. One where the economy is complex and we cant be on our own. One where nuance is more important than being black and white. One where the shades of gray are everywhere.
Ultimately on Nov 4, we will choose who will lead us in these troubling times. I hope that the issues that frame this arent the usual scare tactics. What we should be scared of in my view is those that live in the past where things are simple, where answers are yes and no.
For better or worse our world is now much more about shades of gray.
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