Common Sense Politics

Just because we have not been commenting on the two Presidential campaigns for some weeks does not mean Common Sense Politics has not been watching those two candidates and their respective campaign activities. To be quite honest, it’s been funny and very entertaining and we think that a man like Neil Simon could probably have written a play for Broadway that would be guaranteed an ‘Award for Best Comedy’.

Both candidates have been all over the place in almost every sense of the word. John McCain has been to Colombia, Mexico and Canada while Barack Obama is touring Europe at this time. McCain was in Colombia while the locals rescued some long-held prisoners from vicious rebels. Not to be outdone, Obama had planned to give a campaign speech in Berlin with the Brandenburg Gate in the background. While similar appearance at this location by former Presidents John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan had true meaning, the Barack Obama show is nothing more than a publicity stunt to show American voters that he is truly a world class Statesman. Causing some controversy among German politicians about his intent to campaign there, he will now be speaking at some other venue in Berlin.

The two candidates have been busy giving speeches in various formats (from town hall meetings to arena rallies) and have been presenting their ideas for the future. While McCain has been trying to be, at least in his own mind, we think, somewhat consistent with his plans and proposals, Mr. Obama has been all over the map. We here at this site gave up a few weeks ago to follow the daily pronouncement of their positions for fear of wrecking our health by making our heads spin. The upcoming gymnastics competition at the Olympics in China will not see as many twists and turns, flip-flops, forward and backward somersaults as our Presidential contenders have been able to do. Mind you, all with the earnestness of serious men meaning business. The one positive element in all this is the fact that we do not have to fear that these two guys will show up one day at our doorsteps to sell us life insurance or vacuum cleaners.

Both candidates have also had their almost daily campaign and supporter mishaps. Senator McCain’s campaign co-chair, former U.S. Senator Phil Gramm said that America had become a nation of whiners and were complaining too much and that the recession in the country was only in their minds, he used the word ‘a recession of the mind’. Mr. McCain felt he had to distance himself from that immediately in denouncing Mr. Gramm’s assertion by saying:”He does not speak for me!” Excuse us, Senator McCain, if he is your campaign co-chair and economic advisor, who is he speaking for? How well do you know him to feel comfortable to have him on your campaign? This is not the first time this candidate had to denounce a statement made by a supporter and it will not be the last, we are certain of that.

Mr. Obama has had his share of similar problems and several of his political advisors had to leave the campaign. When he apparently, and we say ‘apparently’ with tongue in cheek, changed his stance on previously clearly defined positions and they are too numerous to list here, he was challenged on his newly held opinions and even accused of being a ‘flip-flopper’. Well now, he could not let that stand and he retorted that he had been consistent all along, i.e. he had not changed his long held positions. By this, he sounds convinced that we are all too stupid to understand what he means when he says things. This even tops the moment when Bill Clinton said ten years ago ‘that something depended on the meaning of what ‘is’ ‘is’, remember that wonderful moment in presidential history? Mr. Obama will set new heights of double-speak, we are convinced of that as sure as the sun rises in the East.

He also has told us that we Americans have to learn more foreign languages, that it is embarrassing to him that the British, the French and the Germans all speak foreign languages and know English when they visit the USA while we Americans when we travel to Paris for instance only can say “Mercy Beaucoup.” This sounds outright funny coming from a man who reportedly does not speak a foreign language. He said these things when speaking of his opposition to the people who want to make English the official language in this country, the so-called “English only” crowd. A few days later he pronounced that all American parents should have their children learn Spanish in school. This is even funnier when you think that the teachers in our highly unionized public school system are having a very difficult time teaching them just English. We have to admit to better understand now why Mr. Obama has made CHANGE the major theme of his campaign and he is doing it almost daily. He is changing his positions when he is delivering his quirky proposals for just that, change for the sake of change and as often as he sees fit. For some it might be “change we can believe in” as his banners tell us, we here think that it is nothing more than meaningless rhetoric for the vast majority of Americans.

But this is July, the people have other priorities and are busy with their vacations and other activities and so on and that is why the Presidential campaign currently is nothing more than fodder for political pundits. It is at best an entertaining “summer soap-opera” with even some intrigue as in the case when the Rev. Jesse Jackson recently stated that he ‘felt like castrating Mr. Obama because he was talking down to black people.’ In about a month, the campaign will get somewhat more serious when the two party conventions will be held and formally declare their respective candidates for President and Vice President. We will look and analyze the candidate’s acceptance speeches and monitor things from there on from a perspective of common sense as we define it.