“Curzon”:http://cominganarchy.com/2008/10/12/mccain-obama-vote-nixon/ and “Chirol”:http://cominganarchy.com/2008/10/12/mccain-obama-vote-nixon/#comment-385858 — the American contributors to Coming Anarchy — have both endorsed John McCain for US president. Today I would like to publish my endorsement.
Earlier this year I presented my “Voter typology”:http://cominganarchy.com/2008/04/09/voter-typology/. Under that framework I tend to be an issues-based voter, thinking of who would benefit the country as a whole in terms of the international arena. My thinking is that if the country prospers, the potential for the people to prosper is increased. Thus I understand and support Curzon’s erudite call for a Kissinger-like adviser to help the next president reposition America in the world.
Foreign policy is definitely a priority for America — it always has been. John McCain has a strong background in the field which originally encouraged me to support him. However, recent developments have caused me to question McCain’s judgement, and in fact have caused me to change my own voter typology. Since McCain became the Republican presidential candidate it seems he has not been able to stand up to the party beaucracracy. McCain seems to be under the influence of the incumbent campaign machine, an anachronistic apparatus which insists that electoral victory lies in energizing the Christian Right. I think the general American public — and the world at large — are tired of this minority. I am disappointed that McCain has cast aside his “maverick” principles and pandered to those he has denounced in the past. My confidence that McCain can provide moderate leadership once he gains the presidency has been shaken. Can he choose the right advisers to execute sound policy? The choice of Sarah Palin as VP says no. That was a deal-breaker for me. Christopher Hitchens recently wrote Vote for Obama – McCain lacks the character and temperament to be president. And Palin is simply a disgrace. Disgrace, absolutely. I can only imagine “what would happen”:http://www.palinaspresident.us if McCain died and Palin became president.
I think the McCain of the _past_ could have chosen the Kissinger that Curzon wishes for, but I think the McCain of the present cannot. Admittedly, Obama does have less FP experience, but he knows this, and I think he recognizes that he must choose well-qualified advisers.
As a non-American my vote does not count, however I am supporting Obama and have already voted for him in the The Economist‘s “Global Electoral college”:http://www.economist.com/vote2008/ where Obama is currently winning 8,897 to 38. I think the actual result in America will be much closer.
FYI: The Economist will be publishing their endorsement in November.
I fully agree that Palin is awful and have written as much in comments here. However:
“I think the McCain of the past could have chosen the Kissinger that Curzon wishes for, but I think the McCain of the present cannot.”
That’s unsophisticated, and reflects a lack of understanding as to why McCain chose Palin. There are lots of reasons, all of them sound: (1) she is one of a very few people who appeal to the conservative and reform wings of his party, even if her reform credentials are doubtful; (2) she has the highest rating of any governor in the country; (3) he wanted to appeal to Clinton’s supporters. All that’s true, and in many ways she worked to reinvigorate his campaign.
There’s just one problem — she’s unqualified to be president.
But that being said, she’s not running for president but vice president, and even if McCain does kick the bucket, even as early as a few months after taking office, Palin will have the opportunity to train in the executive branch first hand.
No offense, but what planet have you lived on where Palin has reinvigorated the campaign? If by reinvigorated, you mean has appealed to fringe racist and xenophobic elements of the right wing while quickly becoming the most disliked candidate among independents, then sure, Sarah Palin has reinvigorated the campaign. But to any sane individual, putting an individual who makes Bush look like a thoughtful intellectual onto a national ticket is not only insulting, but dangerous and destructive to the country as a whole.
While I still support McCain, I do agree Palin is not qualified to be President should the situation arise. But this concern assumes it’s likely she will. As an atheist, I also intensely dislike ALL religious nonsense from the Republicans but its a cost I have to accept.
The only point I concede is that it may be likely the US will more easily accomplish its foreign policy goals with Obama due to his novelty, being a Democrat and break with the last 8 years. Again, this is not to support him or disagre with Bush’s policies, but to state things from the perspective of much of the world.
Re: Curzon’s three reasons:
1. My point is that appealing to the conservative sector is passé, and McCain himself is supposed to appeal to the reformers.
2. That is a valid point.
3. This was unsubtle electioneering that totally backfired. After the announcement the web was alive with laughter at McCain’s hamfistedness. Even before I found out who Palin was this move disappointed me.
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alec: in a sense, during election season, Planet USA and Planet Earth actually do beome different planets. It may be clear to planet earth that the McCain campaign tanked after Palin’s novelty wore off, but if you watch the US media you would think that she is still a very serious candidate. The ticket may yet suprise us, as weird as that may seem to those watching from outside the States.
Curzon and YH, I agree that there were specific reasons why she was chosen, but I disagree that 2) was a serious calculation on the McCain campaign’s part (she is popular as Alaska Governor for some of the same reasons that Putin and Chavez are popular) and the main reason she was picked was to try to kill 1) and 3) with one stone.
From the outside, YH’s arguments look rational. But from the “inside”, there are enough US voters who, like Curzon and Chirol, know that choosing the McCain ticket is crazy but are so uninspired by the Obama ticket that they will do it anyway that I expect a suprise this year.
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