Election 2008

Being more aligned with Republican ideals than Democratic ones, I typically gravitate toward Republican candidates on a national level. I started this election season as an unabashed Rudy Giuliani supporter. I knew that it was an uphill battle, but I believed that because of his experience in arguably the biggest executive office other than President, that he had the necessary experience, and based on his personal views I felt he was also the best candidate in general. However, with Guiliani gone, I find myself drawn to John McCain for the same reasons that Rudy himself was drawn to him...he's not the same old stodgy, right wing, pompous ass that everyone thinks of when they think of the Republican party.

As a result of my virulent distaste for all things ultra-conservative, my skin began to crawl when I saw that both Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney were polling well. I don't have any personal issues with Huckabee, I just think he's too conservative for the country, particularly at this point in time.

Romney, on the other hand, I don't like politically, personally, socially, or any other adverb you want to throw out there. I knew very little about the man until the YouTube debate that aired on CNN. I have never seen a man who had less to say in more words. If you want a candidate who will not give you a straight answer for anything, he's your guy. How many times can you actually answer a question asking for your opinion on something with "I don't know, but I'd get the best minds in the country around me to advise me." OF COURSE YOU WOULD. That's your job, you twit, but the American people want someone with an actual brain of his or her own and who has conviction about which direction to take based on what he has. For that matter, who do you have advising you right now, the characters from Sesame Street?

The best thing about the current status of the election, however, is that if you look at the ultra-conservatives who will vote for that prick in the primaries, you find an interesting paradox. Most of his would-be-supporters are also the so-called "evangelical Christians" who will probably vote for Mike Huckabee instead if they think he has even a snowball's chance. (I feel it is necessary for me to explain at this point that "evangelicals" are technically a variety of Christians, typically Protestant, that believe that it is their duty to go out and convert others...which technically includes just about every denomination I'm aware of, and thus I hate the term because it has been corrupted for often derogatory descriptions of born-again Christians who give actual Christianity a bad face, even if their intentions are great, but I digest...) At any rate, hopefully that will mean that Romney won't actually win the nomination, and that if McCain wants to include a more conservative candidate to draw more voters, he'll pick Huckabee as VP candidate.

My opinion is that not only is McCain the most sensible choice for the Republican nomination, but he's also the most sensible choice for President. The vast majority of the country falls between the two parties, and McCain is easily the closest to the center of the spectrum. In an election in which the current administration has no effect, I believe that McCain would easily win because he would not have to go far to appeal to the moderates in the nation. However, the fact that he's a Republican and may be seen as someone who would tow the conservative line, or be tempted to, may end up costing him some votes (only time will tell).

At any rate, my vote in November will likely depend on who the candidates are from each party, regardless of my typically Republican sentiments. If McCain is nominated, it doesn't matter who the Democrats put up, I'm getting a McCain bumper-sticker. If Huckabee is nominated, I would be "undecided." If Romeny is nominated, I would probably vote Democrat, but I would also consider moving to Canada or maybe Europe. The most encouraging news I have seen recently is tonight's Super Tuesday results up to this point, which show that Huckabee is actually doing better than Romney in most states.

I will end this blog with this thought: Ron Paul is completely insane, but has made the debates the most interesting debates I think I've ever seen. And he's a more viable candidate, in my mind, than Mitt "The Hair" Romney.