It would be kind of artificial to avoid discussing the candidates here given how the election will dominate the media and people's thoughts over the next months. So under the benign, but watchful glance of Herr Westheimer we can perhaps have a sensible discussion in this thread and others if people stick to some rules:
- Don't insult people with political views other than your own. Growing up should have brought you the realization that political views are just one part of a person's set of beliefs and that someone can be a decent guy and still hold views that are not your own.
- Don't start libelling the candidates. You can disagree with Frau Clinton's politics, but don't go Ted Nugent over her and insult her as a "cunt" or worse. Same goes for Republican candidates.
I like McCain, he is the most credible Rep candidate for me in a long, long time. You can't argue with the patriotism of a guy who did time as a POW in Hanoi and if the same guy steps up and says "we should not be torturing people for whatever reason because I've been through it and know what it's like" then that epitomizes credibility to me. As regards his views on Iraq, I think it was ill-advised idiocy that you went there, but now that you did, you're stuck and just can't hastily pull out and leave a void. So, no, I don't think he would be a bad President. A bit old perhaps, you do wonder about his health, but there are healthy old men and unhealthy young men. Something in me tells me that he would do his best because that is just the type of guy he is. In an old-fashioned, but honorable way he would "serve the country".
As a European, I really know too little about the other Republican candidates to form an opinion.
But I've never hidden that my leanings are Democrat. Between Hillary and Obama I'm kind of torn. I think she is a smart and strong woman though she obviously does not suffer fools gladly. She's (to me) not really likeable (more respectable) though I cannot put my finger on what keeps me from doing so, but you can be a good President and not be likeable (you should be respectable). I don't mind how she is an urban woman, East Coast and establishment and I think she handled Bill's more than momentary lapse of good taste with Fräulein Levinsky very gracefully.
Obama is of course Prince Charming and I don't mean that in a bad way. You kind of feel the world would have proven to be a better place than we all thought if he won, right? He has zero foreign affairs experience, but his upbringing and ethnicity at least brought him into contact with other parts of the world. He would probably learn quickly and surround himself with good advisors.
I guess my dream team would be Hillary the first term and Obama her Vice with him moving in on the second term. But Hillary is probably too career-minded for that. And a certain Californian governor (with lots of blue-blooded Democrat relatives and a heavy accent) as the Secretary of Environment (if that is the correct title?)?
Uwe
PS: Democrats and health companies close allies? I'm not surprised. Bringing health insurance to all Americans would be a billion buck business for health companies. That doesn't tarnish the aim, it's just an economic fact.
