Pachyderm
Reality or rhetoric … you choose!
by Brand Kroeger
College Democrats President Cory Struble made a great case for you to vote for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). In Struble’s op-ed this Monday (”Obama will get the U.S. back on track,” p. 4), substance was in short supply, but his rhetoric rivaled that of his beloved Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.). Like other Democrats, Cory is hoping the American people are too daft to know the difference between John McCain and our current president.
Democrats will try to make this election about George W. Bush. I know the American people are smarter than that. They know the Democrat-controlled Congress has the lowest approval rating of any Congress in American history. They can see through the buzzwords and false promises of Barack Obama. They can tell the difference between soaring rhetorical language and John McCain’s straight talk. The American people will choose a president with a proven record of bipartisanship and a clear vision for America.
So, let’s talk substance.
On Iraq, Sen. McCain took on his party and his president, calling for a new strategy. Now, even Obama says the surge of troops McCain supported is working in Iraq.
To solve our energy crisis, McCain takes an “all of the above” approach. He wants domestic drilling, wind energy, solar energy, biofuels and more. His energy plan consists of rapid production of renewable energy resources for the long term and drilling now in America for the short term.
The only candidate with a proven record of bipartisanship is John McCain. From McCain-Feingold to McCain-Kennedy, there’s no question. John McCain, a staunchly bipartisan member of the Senate’s “gang of 14,” is the only candidate in whom Democrats and Republicans can both have faith. His bipartisan appeal is evident in a convention speech by Joseph Lieberman, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee in 2000.
Taxes? Cut ‘em. McCain will continue to keep taxes low in order to help empower businesses and entrepreneurs to explore opportunity and investment to help generate the jobs Americans deserve, while keeping government spending low. There is no doubting his credentials as a fiscal conservative.
The selection of Gov. Palin, another fighter and a maverick in her own right, as McCain’s vice presidential running mate sends a strong message to all Americans about John McCain’s character. No ceiling is too high, and two mavericks in Washington will be unstoppable.
Only McCain has the experience to lead in these trying times that are testing the will and determination of our nation. He has served his country since his youth. As a Navy pilot, McCain was shot down over Vietnam and held as a prisoner of war. When he left the Navy in 1981, he went to Congress to take on special interests and government spending. He has traveled the world to meet with foreign leaders and has an unrivaled knowledge of national security concerns.
What has Barack Obama accomplished? When has he reached across the aisle? What are his policies? Where is the substance?
How do Democrats feel about Obama? Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) said, “Senator McCain will bring a lifetime of experience to the campaign . . . and Senator Obama will bring a speech that he gave in 2002.” His own running mate Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) said, “I think (Obama) can be ready, but right now I don’t believe he is. The presidency is not something that lends itself to on-the-job training.” And let’s not forget that former President Bill Clinton asked, “When is the last time we elected a president based on one year of service in the Senate before he started running?”
The American people aren’t ignorant. They will elect John McCain. As Americans scream for change, remember this: Barack Obama wants you to hope for a better America. John McCain wants you to vote for one.
The writer, a senior majoring in political science, is the chairman of the College Republicans.
Picking apart Palin, McCain’s wild-card VP
by Andrew Clark
If you had bet someone a week ago that a young, unknown governor of Alaska would become the Republican vice-presidential nominee - and that her 17-year-old daughter would be pregnant and marrying the father - you would have been laughed off the Hill.
Lesson learned. As far as bets go, nothing is off the table in the 2008 election.
Many liberal blogs and pundits are attacking Gov. Sarah Palin (R-Alaska) as a poor choice for the vice-presidential slate. Too inexperienced and not serious enough, they say, adding that she was selected for the job as a gimmick because of her gender.
But is this criticism valid, or is the left attacking out of fear? There are both positives and negatives with the Alaskan governor, but can a McCain/Palin ticket defeat Obama and Biden in November?
Let’s start by looking at the positives Palin brings to the Republican campaign.
As a staunch pro-life conservative, Sarah Palin cements the base. Hours after McCain announced his vice-presidential pick, the conservative movement exploded with adrenalin. James Dobson, a famed leader of the evangelical movement, finally endorsed John McCain. The campaign was flooded overnight with almost $10 million in donations from enthusiastic conservative donors, a record for McCain.
The stories of her son with Down syndrome and her pregnant eldest daughter speak volumes about her views on abortion and family values. Hundreds of thousands of the young evangelicals who worked hard for George Bush in 2004 - and who are essential to any Republican victory - now have a reason to volunteer this year. Palin can recharge the powerful Republican political machine that has won the party so many elections in the past.
She can steal some of Barack Obama’s reformist thunder. Obama talks about “change” rhetorically. With a reputation as a strong and successful reformer in Alaska, Palin talks similarly about the “old politics.” She took on the Republican bosses in Alaska, stared down the oil executives and tightened budget spending. Americans have long asked Barack Obama exactly what his change would mean. After looking at her history, no one needs to ask Sarah Palin.
She’s appealing and attractive - both politically and physically - to undecided voters. Her demeanor on stage allows many soccer moms to instantly relate, and her biographical story closely resembles that of many working-class voters and women with whom Barack Obama has not yet sealed the deal. Mayor of a small Alaskan town, mother of five kids, an outdoorsy type - this profile could attract many undecided voters, particularly in the rural battleground states of Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
But Sarah Palin brings some negatives as well.
She is inexperienced in foreign affairs. Domestically, as a two-year governor, she actually has more executive experience than all three of the other candidates, but having never served on a national stage, she knows little about foreign policy. This is mildly alarming, especially considering that John McCain is 72 years old. It’s hard to imagine Sarah Palin taking on Vladimir Putin or Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, even though we have yet to see her in action. However, we probably won’t be hearing much of this kind of criticism from Obama, who himself has few foreign policy credentials.
What Palin can bring to the Republicans still remains to be seen. Critics shouldn’t write her off this fall - she promises to be full of surprises.
The writer, a sophomore majoring in political communication.
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