Wednesday, September 24, 2008...2:23 pm
The race thus far: A brief recap
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This is a post for those of you (all three of you) who have been in a cave for the past three months.
It’s September, and the primaries are over. This presidential race is unusual for a number of reasons:
- For the first time ever, a major party has nominated an African-American (Sen. Barack Obama, D-IL) for president.
- For the second time ever, a major party nominee has selected a female running mate (Vice Presidential nominee Gov. Sarah Palin, R-AK).
- Only one of the major party nominees has executive experience (Gov. Palin). All of the others (Sen. Obama; VP nominee Sen. Joseph Biden, D-DE; Presidential nominee Sen. John McCain, R-AZ.) are known for their legislative service.
- If elected, Sen. McCain will be the oldest first-time nominee to become President at 72, breaking Ronald Reagan’s record (he was 69 when first elected in 1980 and 73 at re-election in 1984).
- Sen. McCain is also the second oldest first-time nominee (Bob Dole was 73 when he ran unsuccessfully against Bill Clinton in 1996).
- If elected, Sen. Obama will be one of the youngest Presidents at 47; Teddy Roosevelt (42), John F. Kennedy (43), and Bill Clinton and Ulysses S. Grant (46) all were elected earlier in life than the current rising star of the Democratic party. (Grover Cleveland was also elected for his first term at 47.)
America has experienced some very strange elections in the past few Presidential cycles, from the debacle in 2000 to the current election, which (as the above indicates) is historic and - dare I say - even groundbreaking.
But the election is far from over. We have 40 days before the nation decides.
If you have any thoughts on politics or would like to help us blog through this Presidential election, E-mail us at politics@thedeconline.com.
1 Comment
September 25th, 2008 at 7:05 am
I don’t believe anything McCain says now or then. The story about him telling his captors he didn’t want to go home unless others went home doesn’t make sense. As a 23 year vet, your enemy didn’t say to you, “you can go home because you daddy is a big wig in the military.” If anything, it was more reason to keep him for interrogation. The story is full of holes and all we have is McCain’s word that it happen.
It is unfortunate McCain was a POW, but McCain is an opportunist then as he is now. A man of any integrity does not approve such low blow campaign ads, distort the truth, and out and out lie as he has in this campaign. I don’t care if you feel Obama has done the same. As a military man, we still maintain our integrity no matter how dishonest the enemy is. McCain’s campaign character does not reflect the integrity of a true hero.
I want proof from McCain that someone in the enemy camp said he could go home. McCain, do you really expect veterans, like me, believe that? When in history has the enemy told a captive he could go home? You have proven your word means nothing now and I suspect you took the opportunity to distort your story then for political purposes, as you seem to be doing now. Country first, if it advantages McCain, is your true motto.
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