Politics again

I know, I'm losing my cred in the not political crowd.

Fine.

I watched the debate on Friday.

I'm not going into a whole lot here, regarding who did the best, or what not.

What struck me most, was pity for John McCain. Now, I'm standing up right now, and saying that I'm not planning on voting for the man. I think he's wrong on a lot of very important areas. However, it was apparent to me, and to one of the others I was watching the debate with that this whole Iraq business is stomping hard with salt soled boots on the open wounds of his Vietname experience. I can't help but pity that. I truly feel bad for him, and for the countless others who are identifing with the men and women who are over in Iraq fighting because our countries leaders told them to.

However. . .

My pity does not extend to wanting those men and women there any longer than is absolutely necessary. It does not extend to wanting my nephew over there fighting what I believe to be a losing battle. It does not extend to being willing to further bury our economy on a war that we should never have engaged in nor can we truly win.

So, I feel bad for McCain. It was obvious that the man is haunted by the past, as I imagine most who have walked a path similar to his must be. I cannot base my vote on pity, however. I was trained by my grandmother to base my vote on as much logic and reason and common sense as I can muster. Failing that, she told me to go with my gut.

The idea of McCain as president makes me queasy.
The idea of Obama as president makes me less queasy.

The Big Bird/Oscar write-in is still being pondered.