Obama has been called audacious, and he certainly is. But his confidence is supported by both a high intelligence and a clear-eyed pragmatism, qualities that enabled him to best more established competitors--now to stand within reach of breaking America's ultimate racial barrier.
A brilliant mind combined with practicality would well serve any President, and the reserves shown by Obama suggest he would bring nimbleness and judgment to the Oval Office. So does his crucial vow to reach across the aisle for solutions frozen in partisan gridlock.
Obama has the potential to reinvigorate a nation fed up with the dysfunctional behavior of its leaders. But he would face tests--deciding, not speaking; governing, not campaigning - that dwarf any he encountered in his slim 12 years in the Illinois Legislature and the U.S. Senate.
The challenges are of historic proportions and growing.
The American standard of living is threatened with severe erosion from the global financial crisis. There's a war in Iraq to wind responsibly down, and there's a war in Afghanistan that demands smart new strategies. Iran is defiantly acquiring nuclear capability; Russia is flexing its muscles. Energy independence and global warming demand action.
And, never forget, the home shores must be protected.
The times call for boldness backed by expertise, not by ideology. We support Obama in the expectation that he would tap the brightest minds, regardless of political affiliation. He would need seasoned advice on every front, not least in adjusting from the rhetoric of a hasty Iraq withdrawal to the facts-on-the-ground duty of commander in chief.
We also expect that Obama would fulfill that oft-stated pledge to bring bipartisanship to the White House in forging solutions that work. That spirit will be essential to engaging the gears of government on issues that cannot wait. What Obama gives up--and some of his ideas must be tossed or refocused--would strengthen a presidency dedicated to the welcome notion of advancing the interests of the average Joe and Jane.
John McCain is an outstanding U.S. senator and a man of character. His courage in the face of torture and imprisonment as a Navy flier in North Vietnam met the highest standards of honor.
Typical for McCain, he fought his way to winning the nomination of a resistant party, and the Republicans are the better for it. In what was often predicted to be a Democratic blowout, McCain has kept the contest competitive.
His strongest suits are foreign affairs and the military. Tough-minded on both, he was dead-on regarding Iraq. From the start, he advocated more boots on the ground so the military could provide security to the Iraqi people, not just topple Saddam Hussein. Then, in the war's darkest hours, he held fast against overwhelming opposition to urge a bigger troop deployment.
Thus was born the surge that opened the way for Iraqis to begin building a civil society and pointed America toward withdrawal by the next President-- perhaps, ironically, Obama.
McCain's insistence on persevering in Iraq--and on getting it right--reflects a core belief in promoting U.S. interests with a wise use of America's assets, from ideals to arsenal.
He has complemented global savvy with walk-the-walk bipartisanship. Among the highlights were battles for immigration and campaign finance reform, as well as a readiness to attack pork-barrel spending by both parties.
McCain's misfortune is that he is the standard-bearer of a party whose leadership, starting at the top, ran the U.S. onto the rocks.
There is no question he would bring change - but not as much as is needed after a presidency that enriched the wealthy over the working and middle classes with excessive tax cuts; gorged on spending; failed to address America's energy needs and global warming; undermined the credibility of U.S. military power, and got blindsided by the Wall Street meltdown, thanks in part to deregulatory zeal.
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