A Résumé Of Now

During Thanksgiving weekend last year I enjoyed dinner with some of my favorite people on this planet. It was a great time of silliness and laughter, fine wine and soft light, delicious food and spirited conversation. And politics.

I don't mean to suggest that there were any feverish moments of partisan bickering, of allegiances and loyalties busting at the seams; of bellies belching flak. There really was nothing of the sort. After all, it was November 2007; the roster of political candidates for any party had not yet been filled.

I recall this now because of something I said that night. But first, I must offer something of a confession. Those of my readers who have paid close attention, even any attention, to what I've written here should know by now that I am not a fan of John McCain's. In fact, I have not penned a single sentence in favor of his candidacy at this or any other website. None. And I make this bold assertion in the face of the clearly delusional visitors who come here to accuse me of being some sort of paid hack for the McCain campaign. Sadly such folks confuse my criticisms of Barack Obama as proof of my allegiance to all things Republican; such confusion also leads some interlocutors to conclude that my defense of John McCain or Sarah Palin from blatantly false or mean attacks is tantamount to my endorsing the Republican Party throughout eternity. But back to my story.

In November 2007, while dining in a fine establishment with the loveliest people, most of whom align themselves quite strongly with the Democratic Party, I was asked by one of my dinner companions what I thought of the upcoming election season (the one that is now upon us). I recall quite clearly stating that I was not a big fan of any one candidate, but that I thought the Republicans would nominate John McCain. I remember also mentioning that I believed Mitt Romney would be a very attractive candidate, at least superficially; and that Rudy Guiliani had a great chance, though his pro-choice stance on abortion might limit him. But my reason for discussing John McCain was simple: John McCain had not been perpetually running for president. In fact, or so I offered, he was known to be a hard worker in the Senate, often if not always present. I also noted that he had been working in Washington far longer into the year than many other senators who were seeking the presidency. That McCain began his on-the-road campaign later than most, if not all, of his colleagues, I thought was rather telling.

Finally, I added that McCain was clearly his own man, for no other senator of note from either party had been known to so often stand against the party to which he (or she) belonged. It was for these reasons I believed John McCain would win the nomination; and, at the time, I felt he would be the Republicans' best chance for appealing to independents and conservative Democrats, as I believed then that the Democratic Party presidential nominee -- without question -- would be Hillary Clinton.

Several of my companions agreed that McCain was, at best, the most tolerable Republican known then to be striving for the White House.

I share all this because of yesterday's startling events. John McCain decided to suspend his campaign for the White House because he felt the need to fulfill his duty -- he IS employed as a US Senator -- and return to Washington to help in this time of "economic crisis." In short, John McCain decided to be a senator and not a candidate, at least until the crisis is averted (at least on paper).

Now I know that Democrats instantly turned on Mr. McCain for returning to the capitol: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, reduced Mr. McCain's decision to a mere ploy, a mere photo-op. And it very well may be. But it strikes me that Mr. McCain's decision is at least consistent with the sort of senator John McCain has always shown himself to be: diligent and dedicated. And present.

Wednesday, like millions of others in America, I received an email from Barack Obama. Here is that email's first sentence:

The era of greed and irresponsibility on Wall Street and in Washington has created a financial crisis as profound as any we have faced since the Great Depression.

I have little educated reason to doubt that Mr. Obama is correct, that we are witnessing something as dire as the Great Depression. But I ask: If something so dire is about to befall this country, is spending nearly half a billion dollars on a presidential campaign the most important thing to be doing right now? Shouldn't that money -- and all campaign money -- be held for something "more important"? Moreover, if today is the very threshold of the next Great Depression, what is Barack Obama going to do about the imminent crisis -- not in the future, for the future is perhaps too late -- but RIGHT NOW?

Please, I beg you. I am not saying John McCain has done the right thing here; I am merely suggesting that he has done the better thing. The problem with the Obama candidacy is highlighted in this very moment: Barack Obama's résumé is a résumé of the future. His candidacy is all promise: Elect me and I will do _______. But what we need from him is something more than promises: we need some proof not only that he can deliver, but that he even knows how to deliver, that he knows the basic steps. To what can the Obama campaign point that proves Mr. Obama has delivered? Where is his expertise? What proof does the campaign have that Mr. Obama can work across party lines and get REAL things done, like the real thing before us? Everyone concedes that John McCain has proven himself over and over again, especially across party lines. Where are the people who say the same of Barack Obama (besides his adoring fans)?

This exact moment, or so it seems to this writer, is the last great chance Barack Obama has to prove he is a man who DOES things, and not just a man who thinks and talks about doing things, before the election.

Today I stop and think about what happened yesterday. Did I really see a "maverick" rush back to Washington for a photo-op, or did I see him go back to Washington because sometimes there are more important things than even the White House? Surely Barack Obama's OWN WORDS prove that he believes we are on the very brink of catastrophe, and yet his actions prove that an imminent financial collapse is less dire than a White House without him.

John McCain, on the other hand, has at least attempted to do something today; he is not boasting about his wild successes in some vague and unknown future. That, I am reluctant to say, is one admirable and commendable quality in a leader. But I'll let you do the endorsing.

Peace.

BG