Kudos to John McCain

When this whole election process started, with things the way they are in our country, I was pretty sure I was going to be voting Democrat However, I said to my wife that the one person who I'd have to take a serious look at on the Republican side if he won the nomination was John McCain. I had always considered him to be a pretty honorable man, someone I thought could be a good leader, and someone I could see as President.

But the past few months have seriously sullied me on McCain. This has more to do with his policies, which I don't agree with, decisions (Sarah Palin, "suspending" his campaign, flip-flopping on his own beliefs) and his unrelenting attacks on Barack Obama, many of which have been exaggerations, misleading statements, flat out lies, or meaningless, down right mean attacks. It cast the man in a new light for me as someone I don't want to vote for. And in the past week or so things have gotten downright appalling with the attacks on Obama about William Ayers that have turned McCain's rallies into something just short of a lynch mob.

Then something happened last night.

At a rally in Minnesota, McCain actually defended Obama when the comments by a couple of the attendees got out of hand.

One person said he was scared of Obama becoming President. McCain said, "I want to be president of the United States, and I don't want Obama to be. But I have to tell you, I have to tell you, he is a decent person, and a person that you do not have to be scared as President of the United States.”

After a woman accused Obama of being an Arab (after she said she's been reading something about him... I'd like to know what she was reading since she's so misinformed...), McCain shook his head 'no' and said, "No, ma'am. He's a decent, family man, citizen, that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues and that's what this campaign is all about."

Here's video of the exchanges: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLlIigHg1v0

It actually gave me chills to hear McCain say this. I thought it was outstanding of him to say those things. I'm actually proud of him for having done that. After all the furor that he and Sarah Palin have been driving for the past two weeks, it's nice to see him actually try to simmer it down a little and try to keep things civil. I hope it makes a difference and we'll see what happens for the next few weeks. But for one night, at least, he has a little of my respect. It doesn't change my vote as I still don't agree with his policies, but it shows me that maybe, just maybe, John McCain actually does have a heart and didn't sell his soul. ;)

So kudos to you, John McCain, for doing the right thing. I salute you for this. If this had been the man and the campaign I had seen for the past four months, maybe I'd have a more difficult choice about who to choose. Well, I guess then again there are your policy plans.... and Sarah Palin. Nah. ;)

By the way, the woman who said Obama was an Arab actually did an interview after the rally and sounds like a lunatic. Here's video of it. The sound is hard to hear but there are subtitles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOU9xZ4zcss&NR=1

I'd sure like to see what she's got!