A Political Leader With Brains?

Six years ago, the Democrats vetted two

lawyers for President and Vice President, and America said no. Why
didn’t people like Kerry? Most couldn’t really explain themselves. “I
just don’t like him.” The shifty, equivocal answers . . .

Six years ago, the Democrats vetted two
lawyers for President and Vice President, and America said no. Why
didn’t people like Kerry? Most couldn’t really explain themselves. “I
just don’t like him.” The shifty, equivocal answers. Always taking the
long way around a question. Never said anything straight. His answers
had a little of this, a little of that. Gives people the impression you
are uncertain. When you talk like that, it makes people think you lack
backbone. Journalists ask a politician a question, and public wants a
short, to-the-point answer. “When thus-and-so happens, what exactly
will you do?” They don’t want that politician to frame the issues, to
provide some long-winded background, or a glimpse into their overall
views regarding an issue. Just tell us what you’ll do, so we can hold
you accountable later.

Now even though America is the only remaining superpower, we live in a
world where nations cannot act independently. Not even us. Our foreign
policies and economies are intertwined with other nations. How America
acts on the world stage depends greatly on factors that are beyond even
our control. As the public, we understand this, but oh, how we hate it
when a politician responds to a question with “if. . . but. . . which
is not to say. . . . understanding that. . . unless, of course.” We
don’t like that at all. We assume the shifty fellow is trying not to be
pinned down to a true answer.

That’s probably not the case. Most often,
the candidate has a grain of intelligence, is trying to be thorough and
honest, and hopes the people in this country understand that in today’s
world, you can’t be Clint Eastwood. You can’t point your gun, say a
catchy phrase, and call it policy. A leader on the world stage has to
analyze, consult, think things through, and then act.

Ah, you say. By that time, the terrorists will be all the way to
Nebraska, by the time these weak, lily-livered Democrats get done with
their analyzing, why, we’ll all be speaking Arabic and wearing turbans.
Yes, that’s how the thinking goes. In reality, though, we need a leader
who knows how to honestly weigh the merits of various scenarios, give
each policy option a thorough hearing with an open mind, then chose the
option, and if it doesn’t work, try another option. That’s what the
smarter politician is trying to tell you. That’s how major corporations
make policy decisions. They don’t just jump out and invade a
competitor’s territory because the president wants to look strong. As a
company, you’d lose your shirt if you acted like that.

Like we have. Like America has. So let’s send these cowboys home and
this season, why not vote for someone with a little gray matter
upstairs? It won’t hurt. I promise.