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Oct

19

Columbus Dispatch endorses McCain


If Barack Obama’s resume is thin, the Columbus Dispatch’s endorsement for John McCain is even thinner. Here’s why the paper endorses John McCain for president:

For years, The Dispatch has called on the president and Congress to deal with this massive, mounting debt which threatens the prosperity and quality of life of generations to come. But year after year, the nation’s leaders have kicked the problem down the road.

Seriously confronting this problem will require a president able to call on Americans to make sacrifices for the sake of their grandchildren.

The president will have to ask them to accept cuts in popular programs, tax increases and lowered expectations of what government can afford to do.

Because of the personal sacrifices that McCain has made for the nation, he has unmatched moral authority to call on Americans to take their medicine. If elected, that is precisely what he should do.

Is the Dispatch editorial board on the same planet as me?

#1 McCain has been one of the nation’s leaders who has kicked the debt problem down the road, yes?

#2  The whole point of Joe the Plumber, for John McCain, was to suggest that McCain will cut taxes – how on earth does the Dispatch come up with the idea that McCain would be the president who will be able to tell us to accept tax increases? Because it’s so against his interest? Then isn’t he lying to Joe the Plumber? Argh.

#3 McCain has allowed his running mate and his surrogates, particularly in the last couple of weeks, to run amok with rhetoric that implies if not boldly states and fingerpoints at who is American, where real America exists and who is pro-America, and who is not.  Seriously, now – “unmatched moral authority”?  Who wants to take responsibility for writing that line?  Must be someone who hasn’t read any news stories, blogs or heard any radio or watched any television in the last seven weeks.

#4 Okay and while I’m at it – “to take our medicine” – this is a democracy, last I checked.  Anyone know what the Dispatch has written about unitary executive theory (I don’t)?  The last thing I want in a president is someone who treats me like they are my parent or grandparent telling me what’s best for me.  Paternalism? Feh.

The logic contains not one reference to any of John McCain’s behaviors or decision-making processes of the last 18 months. It doesn’t mention his running mate once (compare that to Colin Powell’s statement this morning that the job of the vice president is to be ready to be president).  What’s most stunning to me is the emphasis the Dispatch gives to bi-partisanship in light of the extremely divisive “who’s a real American” lingo that taints McCain campaign ads and speeches.

Finally, I’ve only been following Ohio politics closely since 2005, but this state had one-party rule for 16 years under the Republicans.  Someone please tell me – did the Dispatch support the Democrats against Bob Taft or in efforts to get majorities in the Ohio legislature?  How about the fact that our state has an all-Republican Supreme Court? What’s the Dispatch said about that?  Unless they’ve made the same argument for our own state, their argument about bipartisanship at the national level, and John McCain, lacks credibility.

Other Ohio reaction so far is only at Buckeye State Blog.  I’ll add as they appear.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:35 am October 19th, 2008 in Barack Obama, Endorsements, John McCain, Media, Ohio, Politics, Voting, WH2008 

Comments

2 Responses to “Columbus Dispatch endorses McCain”

  1. 1 Mary Pat Avery on October 19th, 2008 2:29 pm

    I agree wholeheartedly. What planet has the Columbus Dispatch been on? John McCain’s moral authority? Read the Rolling Stone report on McCain
    http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/make_believe_maverick_the_real_john_mccain

    Someone please send this article to their editorial. People need to get educated about who “the real John McCain” is. Yes, and open their eyes to his behavior in the last seven weeks. Moral he is NOT.

  2. 2 Erica on October 20th, 2008 12:27 pm

    yeah, I think he used a lot of moral authority by cheating on his first wife and being publicly nasty to his second.

    That raising taxes bit is funny though :D

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