Columbus Dispatch Endorses Clinton; McCain

With the March 4 Ohio primary growing more and more important each day, there is no doubt that every little bit of support helps.  Today, the widely read Columbus dispatch endorsed Senators Clinton and McCain for President, emphasizing the experience both bring to the table. Here is some of what they said:

"The 44th president should have a strong resume of government experience. When the nation's voters go to the polls in November to choose that leader, the major-party candidates should be those who require the least on-the-job training. Of the contenders remaining in the Republican and Democratic races, the most experienced are Republican Sen. John McCain and Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton...

Clinton's background also features years of public service. She has been in the Senate since 2001, winning election in New York as she was reaching the end of her time as the nation's first lady. In addition to what sometimes was characterized as a co-presidency with her husband, during his two terms in office, she was first lady in Arkansas for 12 years.

She hopes to become the first woman to win a major-party presidential nomination. While her husband was president, she was one of the most politically involved first ladies in U.S. history. Her activism on a variety of issues earned her the kind of loyalty and opposition usually reserved for presidents.

In the Senate, Clinton serves on the Armed Services, Environmental and Public Works, Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committees as well as the Senate's Special Committee on Aging.

Her opponent, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, has mounted an impressive campaign for the nomination, but Obama, who was an Illinois state senator before his election to the U.S. Senate in 2004, lacks his rival's experience."

Senator McCain: Appeasing the Conservative Base

Now that Senator McCain seems to be on the verge of wrapping up the Republican nomination, he is setting out to appease the holier than thou conservatives and the conservative base. 

 

It is noticeable that McCain and the conservatives never talk about being an American.  One would think after hearing their rhetoric that the constitution mandates the nominee and/or President to be a conservative. 

 

It would be wise if the American people remember, especially since we are in an election year, that America has enjoyed the following on the Democratic watch:  (1) A safer America; (2) The greatest economy; (3) The greatest job creation; (4) The best fiscally sound administration with budget surpluses; (5) The lowest unemployment rate in 30 years; (6) The lowest crime rate in 40 years; (7) The largest paydown on the national debt; (8) Better control of federal spending; (9) lowest inflation rate; (10) Protection of the people's privacy and the list goes on and on.

 

Democratic Presidents have accomplished those things that conservatives only talk about.  Why?  Because Democrats put America and its needs first.  America is the Democratic ideology.  Phony conservatism is the Republican ideology and it's sad that McCain is now sucking up to them.  

A Way Out In The Democratic Primaries

It appears that neither Senator Clinton nor Senator Obama will have the 2025 delegates required to secure the Democratic Nomination for President after the primary season is over.  Howard Dean, the Democratic National Chairman, was quoted as saying that if that occurs, the two candidates would need to sit down and decide who the nominee would be.  Dean also has repeatedly said that he does not want a brokered convention.  

 

So what is fair for the candidates and the people who took time to express their support with their vote?  If neither candidate reaches the magic number of required delegates, I have a suggestion.  Let the delegates from Florida and Michigan be seated at the convention and cast their delegates in line with the outcome of their states primary election.  The candidates did not campaign in these states, so neither had the advantage over the other.  Let the winner of the state primary in each state get the super delegates of that state.  If neither candidate reaches the 2025 delegates needed after all that, let the candidate with the largest popular vote of all the primary states be declared the Democratic nominee.

 

I think that will be the fairest way since the vote of the people will control the outcome.  You can not get any more democratic than that.  Any suggestions?  I would like to hear some other thoughts, as I don't pretend to have all the answers.