#47 Saying and Doing the Right Things

Barack Obama has returned from his tour abroad, where he said and did the right things, even in canceling his trip to a military hospital in Germany. As he has indicated, once he realized that such a visit could be construed as "political" rather than actually caring about the wounded, he changed his plans. Of course, John McCain--with strong prodding from his ill-tempered advisors--attacked him for caring more about photo ops than our troops. This smells like an Evil Karl Rove tactic. Whether or not EKR is actually inolved in McCain's campaign is irrelevant; the tactics are his.

Obama's campaign fired back immediately with the comment that "John McCain is an honorable man running a dishonorable campaign," providing a clear contrast between McCain-the-man and McCain-the-protege-of-the-Evil-Karl-Rove.

This immediate reaction is important. It shows a major difference between the Obama campaign and the Kerry campaign four years ago. When Kerry was attacked by the Swift Boat Veterans for Lies and Deceit (abbreviated SBD: I don't think that was the name of their group, but close enough), Kerry's advisors waited too long before attempting to reply. By then, the damage was done.

In another area of campaigning, it's reported online today that Obama will "give his vice president substantive work and will choose his running mate based on ability to govern, not to help win a state in November." Again, exactly the right thing to say. Of course, I don't believe that last phrase for a minute, mainly because there are so many good choices for Obama that he may as well combine the two qualities: ability to govern AND help win a state in November. That's why I've been pushing a Virginian or an Ohioan all along, though I'll agree that Colorado, Indiana, and several other states have highly qualified Vice Presidential possibilities.

And, in a refreshing change from the current administration's practice, Obama said: “I’m going to want somebody with integrity."

I could stop there and breathe a sigh of relief and joy. But wait, there's more. Obama added, "I’m going to want somebody with independence — who’s willing to tell me where he thinks, or she thinks, I’m wrong."

Omyword! A president who does NOT want a Yes man or Yes woman? A president who actually wants a vice president who will disagree with him and then discuss their differences?

What a concept. Let's give it a try in November.

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