08 Presidential Candidates, Political Analysis

The past few days have seen a lot of back and forth between the two campaigns.  McCain’s team released 2 ads called “Celebrity” and “The One” pointing out that Obama’s candidacy has been propped up by his celebrity type status while failing to address key issues and making himself out to be some type of Messianic figure.  Obama insinuated McCain was racist, McCain’s team accused him of playing the race card, and Obama clarified that he believes McCain is cynical, not racist.  The basic point of the ads to my mind is to point out that there are serious decisions and leadership needs that come with the Presidency that lofty rhetoric and celebrity status are not going to help Obama with.

Here is the ad:

http://www.johnmccain.com/videolanding/theone.htm

The biggest news of the day was Obama reversing his previously steadfast opposition to offshore drilling.  I am hard pressed at this point to name any major issue on which Obama has not flip-flopped his position to some degree.  Again, I recognize politicians will sometimes change positions based on new facts, a change of situation, or simply a change of heart.  Those individuals may nobly do so when they recognize there is a change, explain their rationale, and are not just doing it because of polls.  Time and time again, however, Obama has changed his position when polls clearly show his position had become unfavorable.  After an extensive media campaign launched by McCain to emphasize the need for offshore drilling and comprehensive energy reform proposals, the public opinion swung in favor of offshore drilling by a 57%-29% margin, (with even higher support in swing states in the upper mid-west).  And, again Obama denies that there was any change in his position at all.  Nor does he state that there are new facts or circumstances that justify the change in position.  Can anyone name three significant issues Obama has not reversed himself on?

Obama also has reneged further on the number of debates.  After declaring in the primary that he would debate McCain “anytime, anywhere” he rejected McCain’s invitation to do a series of 10 joint town halls.  Obama stated he would do 1 town hall and the usual 3 debates.  Obama has reneged further because he is no longer willing to do even the one town hall.  His campaign has to be the most carefully controlled and scripted campaign I have ever seen.  So much for a new type of politics.  Obama also refused to debate Clinton when it no longer suited his political interests to do so.