Fighter Pilots Make Lousy Presidents
So I watched the President's speech tonight. It appears that he's decided to compromise with Congress on oversight of the bailout, and in fact seems to have adopted most of Obama's positions on the bailout. Good.
Then I also note that John McCain has decided to suspend his campaign and called on Obama to do the same. Apparently they are both needed in Washington, although Congressional leaders don't want them. As I recall, we had Presidential campaigns during the Civil War, the Great Depression, World War II and Korea. And in all of those periods, the sitting President (AKA "the guy running the crisis") found time in his busy schedule to campaign for office. So we're supposed to believe that Senator McCain, who hasn't made a vote since April, is suddenly needed?
The only set of circumstances that Obama and McCain would need to be in Washington Friday (instead of at the debate) would be if the vote was going to be close. Although there's nothing magical about voting Friday. The Senate could just as easily stay in session and vote Saturday. So is McCain "putting country ahead of politics?" Hell no!
No, McCain wants to suspend this campaign in the same way that a guy in a gunfight who's ran out of ammunition wants to call a time-out. McCain is loosing on the economy, the "hide Palin from the media" rope-a-dope is getting old, (hell, Palin got roasted by Katie Couric - try calling 'sexist' on that shit) and McCain's out of options. To paraphrase a fighter pilot saying, if your out of options, eject.
McCain as fighter pilot explains a lot, and demonstrates why he is fundamentally unfit to be President. Fighter pilots (technically he's a bomber pilot, but let's not quibble) have to react instantly to any threat. It's helpful to have the correct reaction, but it's vital to have some reaction, because flying on your same course and speed will get you killed.
Except the US President is more like Captain of an aircraft carrier. Here's the thing about driving an aircraft carrier. They are as maneuverable as a pregnant hippopotamus with bad knees. If you want to be turning a thousand yards from your current position, put your rudder over now. Otherwise, it ain't gonna happen. You just can't do radical maneuvers with an aircraft carrier.
"Radical maneuvers" are exactly what McCain's campaign has been doing. He pivots in the course of a day from "fundamentals are sound" to "crisis." We go from having a history of deregulation to "greed is bad." This might sound good, but it doesn't work, especially not when you're trying to run an organization with "expedited" lead times of weeks and months.
John McCain has proven not that he'd not be the best choice for President, but that he is fundamentally unqualified for the job.
(edited Thursday AM for grammar and spelling. My Internet connection was flaky last night)
Then I also note that John McCain has decided to suspend his campaign and called on Obama to do the same. Apparently they are both needed in Washington, although Congressional leaders don't want them. As I recall, we had Presidential campaigns during the Civil War, the Great Depression, World War II and Korea. And in all of those periods, the sitting President (AKA "the guy running the crisis") found time in his busy schedule to campaign for office. So we're supposed to believe that Senator McCain, who hasn't made a vote since April, is suddenly needed?
The only set of circumstances that Obama and McCain would need to be in Washington Friday (instead of at the debate) would be if the vote was going to be close. Although there's nothing magical about voting Friday. The Senate could just as easily stay in session and vote Saturday. So is McCain "putting country ahead of politics?" Hell no!
No, McCain wants to suspend this campaign in the same way that a guy in a gunfight who's ran out of ammunition wants to call a time-out. McCain is loosing on the economy, the "hide Palin from the media" rope-a-dope is getting old, (hell, Palin got roasted by Katie Couric - try calling 'sexist' on that shit) and McCain's out of options. To paraphrase a fighter pilot saying, if your out of options, eject.
McCain as fighter pilot explains a lot, and demonstrates why he is fundamentally unfit to be President. Fighter pilots (technically he's a bomber pilot, but let's not quibble) have to react instantly to any threat. It's helpful to have the correct reaction, but it's vital to have some reaction, because flying on your same course and speed will get you killed.
Except the US President is more like Captain of an aircraft carrier. Here's the thing about driving an aircraft carrier. They are as maneuverable as a pregnant hippopotamus with bad knees. If you want to be turning a thousand yards from your current position, put your rudder over now. Otherwise, it ain't gonna happen. You just can't do radical maneuvers with an aircraft carrier.
"Radical maneuvers" are exactly what McCain's campaign has been doing. He pivots in the course of a day from "fundamentals are sound" to "crisis." We go from having a history of deregulation to "greed is bad." This might sound good, but it doesn't work, especially not when you're trying to run an organization with "expedited" lead times of weeks and months.
John McCain has proven not that he'd not be the best choice for President, but that he is fundamentally unqualified for the job.
(edited Thursday AM for grammar and spelling. My Internet connection was flaky last night)