Thursday, August 14, 2008

Voting For McCain

I had previously vowed not to vote for McCain because I don't like or trust the man. I guess I'm a flip-flopper. Or perhaps the "facts on the ground" have changed, which seems to be the latest acceptable reason to flip-flop.

No, I still don't like or trust McCain. I honestly don't think he's strong on the First Amendment. But, sometimes in the playoffs, you have to root for your rival because if they win, your team actually advances. So it is in this election. I guess I'm rooting for both the Broncos and the Cowboys here. I'll probably cast a ballot for McCain.

This column says it all regarding my change of heart:

In other words, Republicans indicated that they are almost all ready to vote for McCain – but only while holding their noses...

But the fact that they’re still lining up with him despite this lack of enthusiasm indicates just how powerful their almost-primal fear of Obama has become. In practical terms, it suggests that McCain can take more steps aimed at winning over moderate and independent voters without blowing up his base of support on the right. At the end of the day, he’s not Obama – and, at the end of the day, that’s probably enough for the right...


I'll probably vote for the man, and then come home and take a shower because I'll feel dirty. I've never voted against anyone before; I've always voted for my candidate. But since I cannot vote for McCain in this election, I'll have to cast my vote against Obama. How sad to be in that position of having to choose the lesser of two evils.

12 comments:

Papa Frank said...

Come on by my blog. I've got a four part series on McCain that may make you feel a little better for voting for him. I'd like to hear your opinion on what I've presented there concerning him.

DADvocate said...

I've already made the decision to vote for McCain. Obama has a whole bunch of downsides and I don't see any upsides.

KauaiMark said...

More than once it's come down to voting for "the one we dislike the least"

Anonymous said...

> How sad to be in that position of having to choose the lesser of two evils.

A lot sadder to be in the position of having no choices at all.

That aside, why should it be an easy choice? All that many important choices in your life easy ones?

You ought to pat yourself on the back. I know some, ostensibly, pretty smart people who've come to the conclusion that sitting on their hands is an expression of courage and honesty.

It isn't.

Anonymous said...

I'll be voting for McCain, too. but I won't like it. This year's finalists were the sorriest bunch I've ever seen and I voted for the first time for Bary Boldwater.

gbradley said...

I voted against the other candidate in the last two Presidential elections.
While Bush is not as bad as the media makes him out to be, I think that he hasn't done enough to reign in spending.
Still, I can only imagine how bad of shape that we would be in now had Gore won or if Kerry had won.
I think that I will have to Vote McCain, just so that he doesn't give Pelosi Carte Blanche.

Fritz J. said...

A few years back I told a friend that I would never vote for McCain. Then the primaries came along and now reality has set in. There are many reasons to not vote for McCain, but there is one big reason to vote for him and that reason is Sen. Obama. So I will hold my nose and try not to gag and will vote for McCain.

Understand, as politicians go McCain is a lot more honorable than most and in many ways I admire him, but too many of his positions drive me nuts. I realize that there are problems with campaign financing, but you don't throw away the constitution in an attempt to solve them. I could go on about his positions on AGW and some of his remarks regarding the current oil situation and many others, but when I look at Sen. Obama's positions and remarks on those same subjects it makes it somewhat easier to choke down McCain.

In the end Sen. McCain is slightly better on oil, global warming, judges, and some other subjects than his opponent and I guess that will have to be enough. And if nothing else, I don't see the Republicans retaking congress so hopefully a divided government will accomplish little and we won't get stuck with silly carbon taxes and national health care.

Darren said...

That's pretty much where I am.

I also have to break one of my personal rules--never vote for a squid!

Unknown said...

Disclaimer: In 2000, I made up my mind who I would vote for in the primary when Bush uttered those words, "compassionate conservatism," and I didn't vote for Bush.

See here.

Anonymous said...

Didn't see that coming!

Ellen K said...

I am not a McCain fan. I don't completely trust him and his VP choice will be very important. But honestly, having read what Obama supports and the draconian fixes he means to implement, I can't see him as anything other than a rank and file socialist. So I guess it's McCain-if nothing else just to have someone who remembers the Cold War on watch.

Law and Order Teacher said...

Darren,
I too, had my reservations about McCain. Until I was confronted with the most unqualified candidate I've encountered in my voting life and my first voting experience was 1972 (McGovern). I voted for Nixon. McCain will be the better leader and he will not back down to foreign thugs, re: Russia. He is also a brother in the misguided Vietnam experience.