So I typically don’t talk very publicly about politics or otherwise enter into a discussion about such things: too many people have too many strong feelings about government and it often gets too emotional, which is not the way to have an interesting, intelligent debate. In that vein, I have paid as little attention as possible to the primaries. The way I see it, my vote in the DE primary doesn’t matter (and I wasn’t even here, actually) so why worry about the candidates until there’s only one on each side and it’s time to vote for real? It’s especially easy when I have every intention of simply voting for whoever the Democratic Party candidate is. This all came up today, which is why it’s made it to a blog post.

Somehow, John McCain came up today at work. I made the following realization about John McCain last night: the very thing which people love about him–his service in the military and POW status–is exactly what scares the crap out of me. That, combined with the fact that he is super old, makes him dangerous, in my opinion. Being a POW alone seems to me something you deal with for the rest of your life, and McCain was captured for 5 1/2 years. FIVE AND A HALF YEARS he was imprisoned, tortured, and otherwise not living the good life. How can that NOT affect you for the rest of your life? And at age 72, you’re not exactly 100% in control of your faculties anyway. Put those two together and I see a dangerous combination.

I picture some Zoolander-type situation, where McCain is sitting down with the Malaysian Prime Minister to discuss some trade agreement and just… SNAPS. Jack Bauer style. In fact, one of my friends made the comment “It’s like Jack Bauer for President. Wouldn’t you want Jack Bauer to be President?” No, Bobby, I don’t. Know why? Because whenever Bauer gets angry, Bauer goes rogue. The job of the Secret Service is to protect the President, not chase him down when he goes on a killing spree. While I’m essentially arguing that McCain is a ticking time bomb, that’s not really how I feel. But I do think his mental well-being HAS to be questionable. And he’s really old. He’s 72, c’mon. Case closed. That’s like making Dick Cheney Vice President…Oh shit…

Which brings me to the Democrats. I really don’t have a problem with either, but only one can win. So I’ve started trying to make a decision in my mind who’s best. Recently this week, I’ve been inadvertently exposed to Obama TV ads and radio spots. He really has that whole MLK inspiring speaker thing going on for him. I think that’s a powerful asset for a country in such need of genuine, respectable leadership. I think that alone seals the deal for me. I don’t care about experience because if you arm yourself with good people, you’re set, and with the power of language that he has (barring the occasional PR-snafu) he could sell ice to eskimos. With Hillary, I think her greatest asset is her strongest weakness: she’s so experienced because she’s so entrenched in the “Democratic Republic” Government Machine. She’s nearly become whatever they call “Old Money” in politics. It makes you question where her allegiances might be. I do certainly think she can help bring this country out of the funk we’re in and set us on a better course, but I also think Obama can do even more for that. Again, if she gets elected, more power to her. Go Hillary. Ra-Ra, and all that. But Obama has my vote, at the moment.

These are my opinions, and I make no warranties that they are anything but. I do respect your right to disagree so long as you do so with reason, intellect, and research. Anything less is disingenuous and unhelpful. Simply repeating over and over “Obama likes cocaine” doesn’t further reasoned debate. Especially in a country where our President is a “reformed” alcoholic. True story.

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