Kelly,

I agree completely. Being a soldier and a POW doesn't automatically translate into being a great president or even an effective president. Sometimes when I listen to him speak in impromtu settings I feel like he is on the edge of asking for help on the details of the issues that he should have a commanding knowledge of.

<<See, this makes no sense- McCain's been fucking wrong about almost everything foriegn-policywise for years, from his early support of the Iraq War to his inability to distinguish Sunni from Shii'a. >>

I dare say that for most Americans the whole Sunni/Shi'ia thing was as petty as the "sweety" comment by Obama. The war is unpopular but I doubt McCain will be held responsible for starting it, just wanting to stay in it. The Republicans will win if they play the fear card effectively. In a world where America is surrounded, even infiltrated, by existential threats, the electorate will default to the warrior, imo. It's all they've got and they'll play it for all it's worth for the next 5 months.

>think one of his greatest strengths is to connect with people in small settings. He speaks in a soft tone that suits that type of situation well.

Sheik has got it right. In a small setting McCain is cordial, attentive and makes you feel as if you are important and that he cares what you think. He conveys sincerity and confidence. I have seen this personally. He still has those skills but he has gone wacko elsewise. This is disconcerting to me. At one time I had a lot of respect for him. .

The fact he *isn't* the typical colorless GOP politician. He has a lot of gonzo in him and the war hero cachet is real, if irrelevant.

I agree with the war hero/ POW experience. It is one of the trademarks of a truly great leader that you should never ask another person to do something that you would not be prepared to do yourself. Having a President who is a 'Chicken hawk' is hardly inspiring to a country that is embroiled in a war which has no immediate end in sight. The fact that John McCain actually knows what he will be asking young Americans to do, and knows about the sacrifice which they will be making for their country is a great asset. McCain has actually been through the worst of it.

This is in sharp contrast to a President who went AWOL from the Air National Guard and had a pretty shameful military record, yet lied about it later. Yet, despite the fact that he never went to the Vietnam war himself, was (and is) quite willing to send American service personnel into the battlegrounds which he himself avoided.

www.georgewalkerbush.net/milit...rd.htm

He's a white guy.