Let's Lighten Up - New Hampshire Primaries

Wednesday, January 9, 2008
I really don't want to write about anything serious today, so let's talk about the New Hampshire Primaries. Because, really, what's funnier than a McCain/Clinton win? Besides a Michael Moore/Ann Coulter WWE Grudge Match, I mean. Because nothing would be funnier than that.

Let's look at our two winners:

On the Republican side, we have John McCain. I used to really respect this guy, not only for his service to his country, but also for his apparent ideals and ability to be true to himself. Plus, he wrote Why Courage Matters, which is a really exceptional effort.

Apparently it was all lip service, though, and when the political chips were down, he decided it was better to toe the party line rather than to continue to support the Torture=Bad position. I guess because Torture only equals Bad if it allows you to be the President. Otherwise, Torture=Naughty.

To me, this is real flip-flopping. As in flip-flopping all over the floor after being electrocuted by an overzealous interrogator.

Plus, the guy is going to be 72 in August. At the end of his first term, he'll be 76, and if he serves two terms, he'll be 80. I'm not really an age bigot, but the average life expectancy for white males in his age group is 66.5. And it's not like the guy has had an easy life, what with all that Naughty Torture between 1967 and 1973.

On the Democratic side, we have Hillary's Machine™. After a third place finish in Iowa, she shed a few tears in order to demonstrate that she's not just, raw, unadulterated ambition, and now here she is in the lead again. Proving once again that voters really are that gullible. Or proving that the Machine™ really is the best that money can buy.

My concerns about Hillary are pretty straightforward, I think - will her raw, unadulterated ambition blind her to making the best decisions she's capable of if she wins the White House? Because, really, the wife of Bill Clinton won't exactly win any prizes for her decision-making acumen, will she?

On the bright side, she's only 60.

Man, are we in trouble, when the nicest thing I can think of to say about my own party's candidate is that she's only 60.

Eenie, Meenie, Minie, Moe...

10 comments:

Jeri said...

I tend to skip most political news - already, it's making my eyes glaze over.

But, one of the differentiators I like(d) about McCain was his anti-Guantanamo and torture stance. Where has he been waffling on that?

Very disappointing.

Janiece said...

Jeri, Senator McCain voted for Measure S.3930, a bill to authorize trial by military commission for violations of the law of war, and for other purposes on September 28, 2006. If you dig into the Measure, you'll see that it basically allows extraordinary rendition, i.e., torture.

Jim Wright said...

Janiece is exactly correct, Jeri. But see before the vote for 3930 McCain was absolutely, positively against torture - and trotted out his own experience in Vietnam as reason why. Right before the vote he went to a meeting with senior Rep leaders, and came out of the meeting saying that the 'extraordinary means' named in the bill weren't, uh, exactly torture per se and he'd support it. So he gets to say he doesn't support torture - because what the CIA is doing at Gitmo and their secret prisons isn't torture, but other than that, you know, McCain's not having any. You'll want to be careful not to step in any of that.

Geez, I wonder what they promised him? Watch and see who ends up as the Rep Candidate.

Janiece said...

Yeah, Senator McCain - hypocrite much?

Cindi in CO said...

I know this is an irrational comment, with no basis in fact, but something about John McCain makes me feel squicky.

It's not like his eyes are spinning in his head or anything, but I feel he isn't particularly stable for some reason.

And like Jim said in the other thread, I have learned to follow my instincts.

Janiece said...

Cindi, not supporting a candidate because he makes you "feel squicky" makes more sense than not supporting them because they're black, or a woman, or one of them thar gayz, or any other superficial reason. Even if you can't put your finger on it, you know there's something "off."

Nathan said...

One of the news shows yesterday was trying to make sense of the NH primary and somebody opined that the electorate my have looked at the Democratic choices and said, "Hilary's manipulative, cynical, and devious, but at least she's definitely competent. (totally paraphrased and emphasis mine.)

That may be a "Duh" statement, but it struck me as worth thinking about.

Janiece said...

Nathan, there may be something to that. But I'm not discounting Obama yet.

Presidential elections are always a crap shoot, and I always make my choice based on the "least sucky" principle. We'll see what happens on Super-Duper Tuesday.

Anonymous said...
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Janiece said...

*TONG*