Undecided about your choice in this election? Our next president will either be The Messiah or Rambo. One vice presidential candidate seems to live in Disneyland, while the other, due to "rhetorical flourishes," has disappeared into the Witness Protection Program. One ticket's mantra is "Change," appealing to anti-Bush supporters; and the other has something to do with plumbing, which appears to resonate with the common person.
The election is historic in terms of race and gender, neither the result of accomplishments, but rather of birth. Each candidate offers things we love and others we hate. How do we choose?
With positions that are continually adjusted to polls and some that are so vague as to be nothing more than sound bites, it becomes difficult to determine a candidate's platform, or whether they can actually deliver their promises. Issues of leadership experience and character become increasingly important.
Leadership experience is vital during this crucial time in American history: 72-year-old Republican presidential nominee John McCain has 22 years in the U.S. Senate, four years in the U.S. House of Representatives and 22 years in the military; 44-year-old Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin has two years as a governor, six years as mayor and four years on the Wasilla City Council; 47-year-old Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama has four years in the U.S. Senate and seven years in the Illinois State Senate; 66-year-old Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden has 26 years in the U.S. Senate. Of the candidates, Palin is the only one to have actual governing experience, the rest having been legislators, not counting McCain's years as a commanding officer in the U.S. Navy.
McCain is nicknamed "Maverick" because, regardless of party affiliation, he continually generates bi-partisan support, votes according to his beliefs and is willing to challenge his own party on issues. His integrity is without question and was proven early in life. When given the opportunity to leave imprisonment in Hanoi, Vietnam, near death and under daily torture, he refused to leave others behind, condemning him to another five years imprisonment. If anyone knows the price of war and the value of ending it properly, it's McCain. There is no denying that McCain "walks his talk" and as a driving force behind campaign reform, his ethics are beyond question.
Obama is well educated, well spoken, well-funded and media-savvy but has limited leadership experience. His experience is in question because there is little record of accomplishment in his resume. Despite his pedigree education and meteoric political rise, he has led no new community programs, has sponsored no major political or legal initiatives and has no governing experience on any level. But we do know that he excels in one area -running for office. If someone is an unknown, and there is no record of distinction, how do you determine his or her potential as a world leader? It's in analyzing their beliefs and values, which is assessed through actions and associations. Since we have few actions to evaluate, we are left with associations.
Thus, what might normally be a passing observance becomes a significant distinction; Reverend Wright, Bill Ayers, Tony Rezko, ACORN, Rashid Khalidi - all connected to Obama, both personally and financially. Individually, these don't hold much significance, but collectively, they paint a picture of someone with questionable judgment and values, particularly since Obama's political career is tied to all of them.
When undecided, set your priorities, vote with the candidate most aligned with you. Still undecided? Vote track record. No track record? Vote integrity!
Michael Cartier is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences and a conservative columnist for The Eagle. You can reach him at edpage@theeagleonline.com.
