Primary Considerations

I suppose that at this point the last thing the blogosphere needs is someone else nattering about presidential politics, but I feel obliged; I know my readers are awaiting the FTR endorsements to help them choose their candidate. (Hah.) Seriously, even though it's hard to remember a time when a past, current, or future presidential campaign wasn't a major topic of the day's news, it does look like we're entering one of the most interesting primary seasons in years. It's been a unusual season for me as I've thought about my own choices.

I get exasperated when I hear that somebody voted for a candidate because he seemed like "the kind of guy you could sit down and have a beer with." There are a lot of people who are fun to drink with but who I wouldn't put in charge of so much as a yard sale. I want to know what candidates think, what issues are close to their hearts, what their philosophy of governing is. By any logic I can grasp, personal likeability does not correlate with good governance and wise policy. Though I didn't share their view, many people found GWB likeable and...well, we are where we are. When I vote, my feelings about the people running for office matter less than what those people say, do, and believe.

Usually.

I'm supporting Barack Obama for the Democratic nominee. I had been leaning toward Edwards (my 04 primary pick) for most of the last year, but as I looked more at Obama, I decided he was the person I would most trust to lead the country. The person I would most trust. I didn't think he had superior ideas--though I agree strongly with most of his plans and priorities. I'm just impressed by the guy himself.

In a primary, it's reasonable to downplay issues since the leading candidates, at least among the Dems, don't greatly disagree. You more or less need to choose according to personalities. I still admire the populist fervor of Edwards and I respect the competence and experience of Hillary Clinton. But Obama outshines them in his ability to connect with people, his intelligence, and his relative independence from some traditional left-right alignments in American politics. That last is caught up with certain ideas and a philosophy of governing, yes, but the prior two items give me the confidence that he could successfully reach across party lines and arrive at fresh solutions to old problems. I'm sharing no groundbreaking insights into the man here--just my pleasant surprise at liking the guy as much as his platform.

At this point, Obama has been saddled with expectations that no president could possibly live up to. And in the weeks, possibly months to come, his golden boy image will tarnish under exposure to flying mud and blasts of hot air. He'll make his run on feet of clay, like all candidates will in spite of valiant efforts to feign otherwise. But however the race unfolds, I think he'll be running with more heart and more brains than anyone else.

Besides, he's the only candidate who's said a word about protecting the Great Lakes...that alone made me take a longer look at him than I might have otherwise.

Believe it or not, I do occasionally vote for Republicans, although I haven't supported any for president. In the GOP primaries, I like Huckabee, despite his holding some views that occupy a spectrum between goofy and outright disturbing. He's witty, winsome, and genuine on the stump (again...it comes down to personalities!) and, unlike many in his party, doesn't believe the primary function of government is to drip milk and honey into the mouths of people already choking on them.

I'm Shupac, and I approve of this message.