I
have no problem with Barak Obama as a human being. He seems likable
enough. Very popular among Democrat voters, women are even fainting in
his presence. Some are comparing it to the Kennedy "mystique."
But
Democrats would be wise to think about that comparison before jumping to that
conclusion. After all, those who saw the Kennedy Nixon debates gave the
edge to John F. Kennedy. Those would heard the debates on the radio gave
the edge to Richard Nixon. The conclusion most would draw from this is
that Kennedy lacked the substance of Richard Nixon.
This
is an interesting thing to think about considering there are many concerns
about Barak Obama's substance. Many people backing Obama have no idea
what he stands for policy-wise. Their support is based on the likeability
factor, the same likeability factor that elected Kennedy and Clinton.
If
there is one thing for certain, it is that a good percentage of the American
people are driven to vote, not based on substance, but based on an individual's
"likeability." Frankly this trait by many of our fellow
Americans disgusts me. That we can be so shallow is embarrassing.
This
trait is almost as bad as America's memory loss problem. It seemed we
were united for a while after 911 but then a couple of years later a good
percentage of Americans seem to forget what had happened just a few years
earlier. Americans even forgot that a majority of us had supported going
to war with Iraq before we actually invaded.
If
there is any hope for John McCain in the fall election, it is that he is a man
of substance, we may not agree with everything he stands for but at least we
know where he stands. The key for the republicans will be to convey this
substance so that it drowns out the personal appeal of Barak Obama.
God
forbid we have a repeat of 1960, or 1996 for that matter. Bob Dole may
have beaten Bill Clinton if he were 20 years younger. During that
campaign he was seen as old, even falling of the stage at one point during the
campaign and referring to the Los Angeles Dodgers as the "Brooklyn
Dodgers."
The
Democrats will use John McCain’s age against him, how his campaign responds may
hold the key to victory for Republicans in November.