Politics: A few closing thoughts regarding the presidential election

While many people figured Sen. Clinton would easily win the Democratic nomination way back when all this started, I felt that she had none of the charm and all the baggage of President Clinton. As such, I felt it wasn't going to be easy for her to win the nomination.

And then we all saw the meteoric rise of Sen. Obama.

Sen. Obama became the blank slate upon which the American public have written their hopes on. His eloquence in speech, disciplined campaign and nice biography was a political "perfect storm" for this election cycle.

And that is the problem in my book: Obama is a blank slate.

With McCain, what you see is what you get!

His record and the confidence he inspires on foreign affairs shouldn't be discounted because we feel overwhelmed by the current economic conditions.

In regards to the economic situation, both candidates have backed government interventions. However, as a general principle, McCain is more skeptical of government having too strong a role in economic matters.

And so what do we get with Sen. Obama?

What do we really know about him?

He was a community organizer. But what did the organizations he worked for do?

By all accounts they helped fund some somewhat radical education ideas. If he had worked work for something like Habitat for Humanity or some other cause that was a bit more mainstream, I think his support would be tremendous.

He was an Illinois state senator. But what did he do?

He voted along party lines almost all the time and indeed he voted "present" on a number of occasions.

He is a first term US senator. Again, what has he done in the Senate?

Again, he voted almost always along the party line. Also, most of the time he has been in the Senate, he has been running for president!

In a sense, his experience argument is that he is qualified to be president because he has run a successful campaign for president!

So what do we really know about him?

The whole "spread the wealth around" controversy is a window into how Obama views economic issues.

The USA does indeed engage in some wealth redistribution.

In America, we have a progressive income tax structure. The rich pay a higher percent than the vast middle and some in the lower incomes don't have any income tax to pay. Thus, the rich pay more taxes so the poor collect welfare - wealth transfer.

The young pay social security taxes and the retirees collect - wealth transfer.

This "socialism lite" is an accepted part of our free market economy.

As a society, we have decided some kind of safety net should exist. I applaud this.

However, should we us the tax system to have more "spreading the wealth" around or use it to encourage small businesses?

McCain acknowledges he isn't an expert on economic issues! However, his inclinations are more with the people rather than with government and thus he embraced "Joe the plumber" as a symbol of their differing views on government's role in economic matters.

The way the Obama campaign trashed and belittled "Joe the plumber" was very troubling to me. This incident gave the public a window into the Obama mindset and to me it was not an appealing picture.

The Russia incursion into Georgia was the one time in that foreign policy poked its nose into the campaign.

Sen. Obama's initial reaction was a vague morally neutral statement. Sen. McCain clearly came out in support of Georgia.

McCain made the tough decision to call for the troop surge and changed the strategy in Iraq. This kind of clarity despite public opinion being against it is an important trait in a commander-in-chief.

McCain also understands diplomacy. He was one of the strongest supporters of renewing contacts with Vietnam. McCain, the Vietnam war veteran and POW tortured by the Vietnamese, was able to see the bigger picture and sought to heal that divide.

A McCain presidency will probably only be able to do a few things on the economic front where agreement can be found. Instead, he will spend a certain amount of energy putting the brakes on an ambitious and potentially over-reaching Democratic Congress. But in the realm of foreign affairs, whoever is president will have to make tough calls and in the final analysis, who do you want answering that red telephone when it rings?

In this election cycle, the life issue hasn't been a major topic of discussion. However, it is quite clear that McCain has the stronger pro-life record. It really troubled me when Sen. Obama ducked the question from Rick Warren about protecting the rights of the unborn with the comment, it is above my pay grade. It seemed odd that Sen. Obama would say, I don't want may daughters to be punished with an unexpected pregnancy.

Finally, as important as electing a president is, in the end, we are only electing a president. When I hear rhetoric like, we are the change we have been looking for and we are going to bring fundamental change to America, I cringe. It is one thing to be confident and bold but it is another thing to offer such high flying rhetoric that defines hubris.

Instead, I'll be using my ink-a-vote pen for Sen. McCain.

His decisiveness and vision of America's role in the world make him the stronger candidate for commander-in-chief.

His record of public service where he has taken on both sides stands above Sen. Obama's rhetoric of change and record of party line voting.

McCain is pro-life.

And finally, no one who runs for president has any shortage of ego!

However, the flowery language of the Obama campaign stand is sharp contrast to the plain spoken words and lifetime of service that that is Sen. McCain's record.

From the stirring conclusion of his acceptance speech:

I'm not running for president because I think I'm blessed with such personal greatness that history has anointed me to save our country in its hour of need.

My country saved me and I cannot forget it. And I will fight for her for as long as I draw breath, so help me God.

My friends, if you find faults with our country, make it a better one.

If you're disappointed with the mistakes of government, join its ranks and work to correct them. Enlist in our Armed Forces. Become a teacher. Enter the ministry. Run for public office. Feed a hungry child. Teach an illiterate adult to read. Comfort the afflicted. Defend the rights of the oppressed.

Our country will be the better, and you will be the happier, because nothing brings greater happiness in life than to serve a cause greater than yourself.

I'm going to fight for my cause every day as your president. I'm going to fight to make sure every American has every reason to thank God, as I thank him, that I'm an American, a proud citizen of the greatest country on Earth. With hard word, strong faith, and a little courage, great things are always within our reach.

Fight with me. Fight with me.

Fight for what's right for our country. Fight for the ideals and character of a free people.

Fight for our children's future. Fight for justice and opportunity for all.

Stand up to defend our country from its enemies. Stand up for each other, for beautiful, blessed, bountiful America.

Stand up, stand up, stand up, and fight.

Nothing is inevitable here. We're Americans, and we never give up.

We never quit.

We never hide from history. We make history.

Thank you, and God bless you, and God bless America.