Last night's second presidential debate proved that the presidential election is over.
To his credit, Senator John McCain has decided to accept an honorable defeat at the hands of Senator Barack Obama instead of the ignominy of losing the mud-slinging contest being urged on him by his advisors.
Like Roger Federer losing in five sets to Rafal Nadal in this year's Wimbledon championship, for McCain it is better to keep your head up high and come back to play another day. This year may mark McCain's last chance to become president, but he can emulate Senator Edward Kennedy in continuing to serve his country with distinction and honor as a senior U.S. senator.
With a barrage of polls this week indicating that the voting public - especially in key battleground states - is moving steadily to Obama's side of the ledger, McCain could have come out swinging and throwing everything but the kitchen sink at Obama. As Obama seized the upper hand on the economic issues, McCain's advisors told him this was his only chance. Governor Sarah Palin had been holding a dress rehearsal for McCain with lines smearing Obama, like "he's palling around with terrorist who would target their own country."
For his part, Obama declared that he would not throw the first punch, but he would counterpunch. He warned McCain that if he threw the "guilt by association" mud ball at him, McCain would get the "Keating Five" mud ball splattered all over his face. McCain wisely backed down.
In fairness to John McCain, he is up against an extraordinary opponent who is far better organized and calmer in a crisis, and who has a better grasp of complex subjects like the economic mess we are in. Just as Senator Hillary Clinton learned in the primaries, it is extremely difficult to compete simultaneously with Obama's unwavering strategy and his unrelenting organization on the ground.
The current economic crisis hasn't helped McCain's case either. Americans are deeply worried about their financial futures and angry about having to bail out Wall Street. Yet all McCain can offer is the trimming of a few earmarks. During the recent near-panic in the credit markets, Obama has proven himself to be a very good listener and a good learner. He has steadily supported those in charge of taking action to avoid even deeper problems, without trying to attract attention or credit for himself.
In retrospect, McCain would be in a more competitive position today had he chosen former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney as his running mate. Romney was a successful businessman and leader of one of the nation's largest states who has a keen grasp of economics and financial markets. Like Palin, Romney is a social conservative.
But like the fighter pilot of his earlier years, McCain opted for a diversionary tactic in selecting Palin, in spite of having met her only once at a governors conference. With that impulsive move, he simultaneously wiped out his experience advantage over Obama and his credibility to address the economic crisis.
No doubt this seemingly endless campaign will take a few more twists and turns before election day. With a hungry media waiting for any morsel that can be turned into a prime time story, the candidates will probably toss a few bones their way.
But none of this will change the outcome of the election. On November 4th, Barack Obama will be elected our next president, with more than 350 votes in the electoral college.
When he takes office in January, Senator Obama will inherit a country with massive economic problems, a failing health care system, an incoherent energy policy, and a declining public education system while being entangled in two wars. Obama will need all the wisdom, listening skills, and thoughtful advisors he can find.
Bill George is the author of best-selling books True North and Authentic Leadership, has been named one of "Top 25 Business Leaders of the Past 25 Years" by PBS, and was CEO and Chairman of Medtronic from 1991 until 2001.
I wish it were over now, believe me.
I don't think refraining from rehashing his disproven smears at the debate itself in any manner frees him from the onus of letting his campaign wallow in the gutters throughout the preceding days. If anything, it shows some measure of his mind/emotions--whether a smidgeon of shame or practiality--but there was nothing honorable or noble in his parroted lies and retconned self-history.
VA, NC, IN, FL, OH, CO, NV,
McCain's going to have to concede at least two of those states, Obama's grassroots power is way too powerful for McCain's established ground connections
We can party on 11/5/08 But keep working, phoning, volunteering, donating until then!
Let's wait until the hatching to count our chickens.
Bush has accomplished what their goal was so now that "No Banker left behind" has been enacted it does not matter who is President.
The Banks now run the country
If your state has early voting, vote early and volunteer to take voters to the polls on November 4th - that's what I am doing. I'm not taking any chances on people not being able to get to the polls.
Have a voting party - whatever it takes. This one matters more than any election in my voting life (I'm 42) and we all need to make our voices heard.
James Carver been wrong before.
It's only just begun
Still a lot of work to do and we need to Get the Vote Out but it is looking good!!
Only 2 huge disagreements. If McCain had of tried throwing a guilt by association ball, Obama would have been obliged to drop some truth bombs, and contrary to what you believe, the bombs would be alot more destructive than just Keating, believe me. McCain know who was the alpha dog and who would do it too. While the audience cheered because of McCain's dirty tactics throughout this campaign and especially intense and hateful over the last couple of days.
2. Romney wouldn't have won over the only base he has left and that is the fundies. They would have violently turned against him, There are not enough simple Repubs otherwise to energize the race with just adding Romney. Who is an unknown entity for most people as much as Palin ism besides his religious background. Romney comes off as the consummate phony politiician.
McCain would have been behind and he would have stayed with Romney and forget Lieberman with the Repubs. The only thing wrong with pandering to such an intolerant religious base is that they can and will come back to haunt you and they are fickle.