jimsjournal
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I heard the mail truck rumbling down the street and I went out to our mailbox to bring in today's mail. There was a letter I had not been expecting... a very important looking letter with a well-known name on the return address: John McCain. I told Nancy "I'm almost too nervous to open this. I know I've not heard my name listed very prominently among the possibilities for McCain's vice presidential running mate. I mean, I'm not even a registered Republican. But, after all, if Senator Leiberman could be considered, a former Democrat turned Independent, then why not me? After all, I'm also registered as independent." But then I opened it and discovered the bitter truth -- McCain didn't want me as his vice presidential running mate, he simply wanted my money. I was crushed. I had already made up my mind that I would have put national interests above personal interests and step up to the plate when my country called me to her aid and put my shoulder to the wheel and keep my eyes on the prize and help with the mixing of metaphors, but no, 'twas not to be, my chance at being vice president was snatched away, to be replaced by a mere political fund-raising solicitation. You see, in Rhode Island -- if you are registered as independent -- you can vote in either the Democrat or Republican primary. You just walk in, sign up as a member of the party in whose primary you want to vote, then you can cast your ballot, and then -- if you want to regain your independent status -- on your way out you sign a form requesting disaffiliation from that party and your voter registration status returns to independent. I most often vote in the Democrat primaries because they usually have more interesting primaries -- this is such a one party state that the Republicans often have a struggle just finding one possible candidate for an office. However, in 2000 I voted in the Republican presidential primary -- voting, as a matter of fact, for John McCain over Bush. Still, I don't think John McCain will receive my contribution of $1000 (or, as he said in his letter, "... a generous contribution of $1000, $500, $100, $50, $25 or as much as you can afford..."). He complains about "unregulated" section 527 groups financing Democrats (but there are 527 groups supporting Republicans as well) without mentioning that many of the problems involving campaign financing are caused by something called McCain-Feingold. (And can you think of a more sleazy senator to be associated with than Feingold? Oh, okay, actually, I can think of several, starting with Ted Stevens of Alaska... but you don't have to travel too far along the Senatorial sleaze ratings before you do come to Feingold.) And, despite having voted for him in the 2000 primary, the McCain-Feingold legislation is, in my mind, sufficient reason not to vote for him this fall. Sure, I honor and admire his military service and sacrifice -- but leaving his military career behind, in his political career in the Senate, can you name one accomplishment or achievement (other than McCain-Feingold, which I consider a serious negative)? Of course the Democrats are getting a bit silly as well. There's a YouTube clip of Tim Kaine (Democrat governor of Virginia -- who apparently is really desperate to be picked for vice president by Obama) on television saying that Obama's wise words made the Russians halt their invasion of Georgia: "It was a bad crisis for the world. It required tough words but also a smart approach to call on the international community to step in. And I'm very, very happy that the Senator's request for a cease-fire has been complied with by President Medvedev." If Obama can do that almost three months before the election, just imagine what he will be able to accomplish after his
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