Blue Collar Muse

Why are secret ballots good for Democrats, yet bad for Unions?

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Sitting in airports most of yesterday, I got an earful of CNN’s coverage of Colin Powell’s endorsement of Barack Obama.

It effectively undercut two of the most damning truths about Obama. Particularly galling was the interview with Claire McCaskill. Grinning like the Cheshire cat, she gushed Obama must be the best choice since Powell, a military man, would never support someone unqualified to serve as CinC or who trafficked with terrorists. This despite the fact Powell’s endorsement included nothing addressing the validity of those two points. Even afterward, General Powell did not address with specificity his rationale for endorsing Obama.

By far, however, the most disappointing aspect of Powell’s endorsement was his contention that, despite his decision, he still considers himself a Republican. I do not know the General nor have I ever spoken to him. I believe he is a good man and his skilled service to our country as a military man is beyond exemplary. But I cannot accept his contention that he is a Republican. It is not because he endorsed the nominee from the other side. It is his stated reasons for doing so.

Over the last 8 years, three prominent Democrats endorsed the GOP nominee; Zell Miller, Democratic Senator from Georgia; Ed Koch, former Democratic Mayor of NYC and Joe Lieberman, former Democratic Senator from CT and 2000 Democratic VP nominee. When these Democrats endorsed the GOP nominee, they did so deliberately and with specificity. They did so while remaining Democrats.  With the exception of Zell Miller, they did so while disagreeing with Republicans on almost every other point except the War on Terror. Concluding aggression against the US was the greatest threat to the nation and that Democrats could not or would not see that, these men broke with their party to support a GOP nominee.  Miller’s endorsement followed in the well established DixieCrat tradition of Conservative southern Democrats.  There was nothing that demanded these men be excluded from the Democratic Party.

There was a fair amount of criticism from the Left directed at these men for their decision. Like Powell, however, they maintained they were still Democrats while breaking with the party on the war. That break cost them. While Miller retired shortly after his endorsement, he was villified by Leftists. Lieberman was actively opposed by the Democratic Party in his bid for reelection to the Senate. These men remain Democrats in all things except for their endorsements. Ed Koch is supporting Obama and thinks Palin is scary. Joe Lieberman still caucuses with Democrats and votes with them on virtually all matters not related to the war. It is clear, whether or not you agree with their assessment of the war, that was the reason they supported the nominee from the GOP.

Colin Powell’s rationale isn’t even close to as specific. It’s filled with nebulous and meaningless platitudes. Obama brings a fresh set of eyes to the problem. Well, so does Sarah Palin. Obama is inclusive. This is simply laughable as there is literally zero evidence for that. If inclusiveness is the criteria by which we are to judge, McCain is the hands down winner. Powell is uncomfortable with the rhetoric coming out of the McCain camp regarding Obama’s association with terrorists, both foreign and domestic. Evidently he is OK with the rhetoric coming from the camps of terrorists, both foreign and domestic, that support the Illinois Senator.

In short, Powell’s objections to McCain aren’t policy based. They aren’t ideologically based. They seem to be based in personality. That is not to say personality has nothing to do with how to evaluate a candidate. But it ought to be last on the list and certainly not a basis for abandoning party policy and ideology. Unless, of course, your policy and ideology is more akin to the other guy’s than to the one you are generally associated with.

Colin Powell, when asked if he was still a Republican, responded that he was. With all respect to the General, I must disagree. There is little evidence from his speech that he is. His endorsement of Obama ignores that Obama is for bigger Government, higher Taxes, decreased personal Liberty, weaker national Defense and a host of other anti-GOP notions. Powell does not list a single issue or policy with which Obama is at odds with the GOP and which he considers paramount beyond all considerations for the safety and security of our nation. Instead, he gives a general and sweeping endorsement of the man and his policies which are unquestionably Left of center.

If you can explain to me how this is a Republican view, I’m willing to listen. But from here it sounds like a Democrat in GOP clothing standing up for what he believes in. I have no issue with the good General if he wants to hold Democratic views. I would appreciate, however, the intellectual honesty to admit the same and make the announcement that he cannot, in good conscience, remain in the GOP any longer and that he was endorsing the Democratic agenda.

That’s an endorsement I could respect.

Blue Collar Muse

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“Well, you’ve sure got a lot to write about these days!” It almost never fails. When I tell people I’m a blogger and political activist, they almost always respond with those words. And it’s true. What I don’t have is a lot of time to write about the lot that I have to write about! And so it is today. I only recently finished listening to the speeches from last night by Fred Thompson and Joe Lieberman. They were powerful!

Media Lizzy has the complete texts of each speech posted are her site. Fred Thompson’s remarks are here. Joe Lieberman’s endorsement of John McCain is here. Video of Thompson can be found in my VodPod widget in the left sidebar. Video of Lieberman is here.

Both men gave what I believe to be outstanding speeches. The consensus on the Right is that had Thompson spoken like that early on and consistently, there may well have been a different nominee for the GOP. The tone of their remarks, however, were quite different.

The highlights for Thompson came as he spoke about McCain’s military service. Especially moving were his descriptions of McCain’s time as a POW. He did not argue that such an experience made him qualified to lead the Free World. He simply described what John McCain endured as a POW. It was, perhaps, the quietest portion of any convention speech ever. Literally, it was pin-drop-hearing quiet. What emerged was a portrait of a man of character. Character forged in a hellish nightmare we can only imagine. Character tested day after endless day. Character that it was impossible to know would be created in a man who would one day run for President. Enduring what he endured, McCain was just another POW who might or might not return to his country. If he did, who knew he would choose politics? He could just as easily gone into Real Estate or selling cars. My point is that he did not have to be the man he was in captivity. He chose to be that man when no one knew. And while it isn’t enough to qualify him for President, it speaks volumes for the character of the man seeking the office.

Fred Thompson said it this way, “For five-and-a-half years this went on. John McCain’s bones may have been broken but his spirit never was. Now, being a POW certainly doesn’t qualify anyone to be President. But it does reveal character. This is the kind of character that civilizations from the beginning of history have sought in their leaders. Strength. Courage. Humility. Wisdom. Duty. Honor. It’s pretty clear there are two questions we will never have to ask ourselves, “Who is this man?” and “Can we trust this man with the Presidency?””

Lieberman followed Thompson and, for me, the fact that he was speaking at all far overshadowed his remarks. What he said was truly powerful. He said things like, “I’m here to support John McCain because country matters more than party. … because John McCain’s whole life testifies to a great truth: being a Democrat or a Republican is important. But it is not more important than being an American. … Vote for the leader who, since the age of 17, when he raised his hand and took an oath to defend and protect our Constitution, has always put our country first.”

It was this synthesis of Left and Right, of Democrat and Republican that I found so fascinating, especially compared to what emerged from the DNC. Lieberman, the Democrat at the RNC, spoke overlooking a sea of Americans holding signs reading “Service” and “Country First!” Obama and Democrats at the DNC spoke to Democrats holding signs reading “Obama!” Lieberman, the Democrat at the RNC, heard Americans chanting “U-S-A!!” Obama and Democrats at the DNC heard Democrats chanting “O-bam-a!!” Lieberman, the Democrat at the RNC, called on all Americans to do what is right for the country and not merely what is best for a political party. Obama and Democrats at the DNC spoke mainly of their pride in being Democrats and not their joy at being Americans.

And who is this Joe Lieberman? It is important to answer the question properly. He is not just one of the lone voices on the Left who gets it right on the war, although he is that. He is not just a Democrat who got thrown under the bus when he publicly broke with his Party on the war, although he is also that. He is not just a Democrat who speaks with authority on reaching across the aisle because he did so at great cost to himself, although he is that, too.

What Joe Lieberman is, more importantly than all of those things, is the running mate of Al Gore in 2000. And the import of that is not that he was a former member of the Democratic ticket now endorsing the GOP nominee. The import of Lieberman’s endorsement is this. Had the Left been successful in winning the White House with Gore/Lieberman in 2000, then Lieberman’s 2008 speech at a national convention would have stood a good chance of being an acceptance speech as the Democratic nominee! Instead, he comes humbly to support a man not in his party, but one he feels is best for his country. I don’t know about you but I find that stunning!

Tonight, the world gets a first glimpse at history in the making. Sarah Palin speaks to the GOP faithful, the lurking Left and the waiting world. 24 years ago, Geraldine Ferraro was the first woman nominated for VP. Like Obama/Biden, the Mondale/Ferraro ticket was incredibly liberal and went down in flames of historic proportions to a second Reagan/Bush term. For many reasons, most of them realized via hindsight, McCain/Palin have a far better chance of producing an historic “first woman as VP” result than Mondale/Ferraro ever did. A good start to that chance begins in just a couple of hours with her acceptance speech. The rest of the road will be played out over the next 60 days in a sprint to the Oval Office.

Only one side can win that race. It is my sincere hope that the side that emphasizes Country over Career, People over Party and Results over Rhetoric prevail in that race. If not, buckle in for a very rough ride.

Blue Collar Muse

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I got what I would normally consider a routine email yesterday.  It was the RNC schedule and roster of speakers for the upcoming soiree in Minneapolis next week.

It was about as interesting as watching paint dry until I realized something.

On Monday night, the following speakers are listed:

Gov. Tim Pawlenty (Minn.)
U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman (Conn.)
U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann (Minn.)

On Tuesday night these folks are slated to speak:

Former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani
Gov. Sarah Palin (Alaska)
Former Gov. Mike Huckabee (Ark.)
Former Gov. Tom Ridge (Pa.)
Former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson (Tenn.)

Wednesday night’s roster sports the following:

Gov. Bobby Jindal (La.)
Former Gov. Mitt Romney (Mass.)
U.S. Rep. Mike Pence (Ind.)

And closing night has the final slate including:

Gov. Tim Pawlenty (Minn.)
Former U.S. Sen. Bill Frist (Tenn.)

None of this would be anything earthshattering except that also slated to speak on Wednesday is the following person:

Republican Party’s Vice Presidential Nominee

If we assume the RNC is not being clever, there are a lot of names on the list that are NOT going to be the GOP’s VP nominee.  Now the suspense is killing me …

Blue

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