In the evil and dangerous world we live in today, the only man who can stand up to our current challenges is Republican presidential nominee John McCain.
This was the sort of faulty logic used by McCain vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin in her speech Wednesday night. The Alaskan governor and the mother of five stood before the Republican National Convention and delivered a moving, awe-inspiring and heart-felt speech.
However, there was one thing missing from her speech: substance. She spoke on issues some Americans are passionate about, such as the war in Iraq, increasing America’s energy independence and the like. She even won the applause of the audience when she said her son, Track, will be deployed to Iraq and also her nephew serves in the military as well.
I find that it is quite easy to win over an audience when you are speaking about something that they are comfortable with. While we are on the subject of Palin’s children, I am simply tired of hearing about Palin’s pregnant daughter Bristol. How many “news” stories can be produced out of this one incident? How long will this continue to be in the news cycle? Why are people so concerned with Bristol and her child that has Down syndrome and not as concerned about what she actually stands for? What has she really done to qualify her for this position of vice president?
In her speech there was no talk concerning the ever-elusive Social Security that none of us college students will receive, health care or other such issues. Also in her speech, she made references concerning McCain’s military experience as though that made him more fit to lead the American people. There were references to McCain’s time spent of a prisoner of war in Hanoi.
By no means would I want to belittle the time McCain served his country, but to use that to say it qualifies him more than anyone else does not make sense. Just because Dwight Eisenhower served in the military does not mean that he was qualified to be president of the United States. Haven’t we seen for ourselves at Mississippi State University that just because someone has a military background does not make him or her necessarily fit to lead?
Which candidates are actually prepared to enter the White House? As far as I know, there is not a presidential orientation class taught by the White House or a “How To Be a President for Dummies” yet. McCain’s war experience does not validate or invalidate his claim for president. Obama’s desire for change and his oratorical abilities do not validate or invalidate his claims either.
I believe that in this presidential election more than any other one, there has been coverage concerning the nominees’ personalities and less on their core issues. People should vote on the issues, not on political parties or race. To simply vote for candidates because of the color of their skin is simply irrational and thoughtless.
I know that as I am writing this there are people who are always going to vote Democrat or Republican no matter what. Are there any more people willing to think for themselves and not think what their party tells to them to?
Lawrence Simmons is a senior majoring in communication. He can be contacted at [email protected].