McCain’s Big Birthday Surprise

On the eve of Senator John McCain’s 72nd birthday, there was a big, secret surprise being planned in Dayton, Ohio. However, the surprise was not for McCain, but for the American voter. And that surprise was the selection of Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska as his Vice Presidential running mate.

No, she didn’t pop out of a cake, but she might as well have. Almost no one saw this announcement coming. The announcement would have been a surprise up until the moment she appeared on stage if an airport worker hadn’t spoiled it by announcing that he saw a private jet arrive from Alaska and whisk off a husband, wife and three daughters.

In his announcement of Governor Palin, he stated he was looking for a VP choice who could best help him “shake up Washington and make it start working again for the people who are counting on us.” He talked about Palin’s record as Governor and stated that Palin is a woman of “strong principles, a fighting spirit and deep compassion.”

Perhaps Palin can deliver in every way that McCain is hoping. The only challenge is, Palin is younger--and some claim--just as inexperienced as Senator Barack Obama. At forty-four years old, Palin is two years into her first term as Governor. She’s a wife and mother of five (including a son headed to Iraq and four month-old with Down Syndrome). She is the Commander of Alaska’s National Guard. For fun, she enjoys snowmobiling, hunting and eliminating wasteful government spending. Wadda gal. Now we know why McCain picked her.

On the morning after Obama’s historic acceptance speech to over 80,000 and 38 million viewers—replete with fireworks, Stevie Wonder, Jennifer Hudson, Sheryl Crow and a host of Democratic stalwarts— McCain decided to take the wind out of Obama’s sails and make history as well (for Republicans), by choosing a female running mate.

After a presidential primary like none other, it’s painstakingly clear that this election year, change is the name of the game. McCain wanted to make sure that he was not on the opposite side of the change mantra that has so galvanized American voters and Democrats around Senator Barack Obama.

McCain wants to prove that he really does intend to make some change of his own—and now he has someone to help him do it. Someone who can help him make the case for change because she’s made change of her own—both as Mayor of the city of Wasilla and as Governor of Alaska. Granted, the population of the entire state of Alaska is that of the city of Austin, Texas—but it’s change nonetheless. Scripture teaches us that being faithful over little qualifies us to be ruler over much.

However, these questions remain:
Will McCain’s Vice Presidential pick hurt or help?
Will Governor Sarah Palin be able to woo disaffected Hillary Clinton supporters?
Will she draw out disaffected pro-life conservatives?
Will she help excite the Republican base and draw new, young republicans to the polls Nov. 4th?
Will she serve as proof that McCain indeed plans to bring change to Washington?

We shall see. The conservative alternative to Hillary Clinton, McCain describes her as having grit, integrity, good sense and fierce devotion to the common good...She’s exactly who I need to help me fight the same old Washington politics of ‘me first’ and ‘country second.’”

SURPRISE! It may have been Senator McCain’s birthday, but the surprise was on us.

The Re-introduction of Barack Obama

Tonight, I say to the people of America, to Democrats and Republicans and independents across this great land—enough! …And we are here because we love this country too much to let the next four years look just like the last eight…”
--Democratic Presidential Nominee, Barack Obama

Throughout the primary campaign, often Barack Obama would say that since he first began running for president 18 months ago, babies have been born and are now walking and talking.

On some levels, the same can be said for Senator Barack Obama—who, over the past eighteen months has learned, grown, gleaned and matured into the man we saw tonight.

Barack Obama was a different man tonight. He was a bigger man, a tougher man, an incensed man who made it clear why he desires to serve as President of the United States. For a man who has won over many with his generous, unarming smile, tonight, Obama smiled little as he hammered away at the failed polices of George Bush and John McCain.

Best-selling author, John Maxwell describes true leadership as the ability to influence others. Leadership is more than a policy position, a title, or years in public office. Leadership is the ability to offer a compelling vision, and communicate and live out that vision in a way that persuades others to follow and join in.

Barack Obama has ideas, solutions and the ability to listen and learn from the wisdom of others. He knows where he’s weak and works to become stronger. In the primary campaign, he began as a poor debater, and he grew to become a strong one.

Barack Obama doesn’t pretend to possess all the answers, but knows that together, we Americans have the answers, and together we can produce the change we need. One of his favorite sayings is that “I’m asking you to believe. Not just about my ability to bring about real change in Washington…I’m asking you to believe in yours.”

Barack Obama is an intelligent man with keen insight and the ability to grasp and process information quickly and thoroughly and make an informed decision. Obama will not blindly nor stubbornly “lead” the American people into harm’s way.

As a well-trained lawyer, he will do his due diligence, take action, change direction when necessary, and willingly admit his mistakes when they occur. This is the tradition of Barack Obama. This is the man he is. This is the president he will be.

Disciplined, diplomatic and determined, Barack Obama will continue to grow, to learn, to glean and to mature. It’s called being teachable. And it’s something each of us must be—even the president of the United States.

This week we saw the Democratic party come together to heal the wounds from the primary season. This week we saw an incredibly well orchestrated event with incredible talent, music and inspiring speakers. This week we saw an astoundingly enthusiastic crowd, culminating in over 80,000 in Denver’s mile high stadium proudly nominate the first African American as the presidential nominee of a major party.

Tonight, on the 45th anniversary of the historic March on Washington, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, Barack Obama was firm, forceful and formidable. He carries with him the struggles of each of the families with whom he’s had the privilege of listening while sitting at kitchen tables across the country. It’s these faces that Obama sees. It’s these faces that cause a righteous indignation to rise up in Barack Obama. It’s the stories behind these faces that give Barack Obama the moral authority to demand change in Washington.

I believe that Barack Obama understands the weight of the responsibility he’s seeking. Never have I seen him tear up—until tonight. Never have I seen him visibly nervous—until tonight. And I have never seen him angry—until tonight.

It was just a matter of time before Barack Obama the candidate would evolve into Barack Obama the president. Many may have wanted this moment to come sooner, but it came at precisely the right moment.

A Graceful Hillary

This wasn’t the night she wanted. It was not the speech she envisioned giving at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. However, in a full about-face from this year’s nasty primary campaign, Senator Hillary Clinton backed down and put Senator Barack Obama, the Democratic party, and the American people—first. Kudos to Hillary.

While Clinton delivered a great, energetic and compelling speech, many will focus on what she did not say—how she did not come out and say, “Barack Obama is qualified to lead and will be ready on day one.” No, she never spoke directly to Obama’s readiness, or overtly stated whether he had in fact passed her infamous “commander in chief threshold.” Many will focus on what she did not say, but what she did say--did it do the job?

I think so. The bottom line is that the Democratic voters have a choice to make in the fall. It’s a choice between a democratic candidate who holds traditional democratic values and positions, and a republican candidate who does not. Hopefully Democrats will do what is in their best interest.

In my opinion, Hillary really did do what she needed to. She bowed out gracefully and forcefully threw her support behind Barack Obama—all the while directing her supporters to do the same.

In Clinton’s words, “We don't have a moment to lose or a vote to spare.” She made it clear to her supporters this campaign has never been about her but about the American people.

She quickly cut to the chase at the start of her speech to state that Senator Barack Obama is her choice. Then she made her case when she stated, “I want you to ask yourselves: Were you in this campaign just for me? Or were you in it for that young Marine and others like him? Were you in it for that mom struggling with cancer while raising her kids? Were you in it for that young boy and his mom surviving on the minimum wage? Were you in it for all the people in this country who feel invisible?”

Hillary made it clear that those who have supported her should be committed to America’s families and our children’s future. Be in this “for them” was Clinton’s theme. “Obama is my candidate, and he must be our president.”

Enough said.

Change We Can Believe In—John McCain?

If I recall correctly, John McCain said he would run a positive campaign. After all, McCain is a statesman, a war hero and Mr. Straight Talk Express.

As it turns out, McCain changed his mind. Within the last three weeks, McCain has released a furry of on air and internet ads that are anything but “positive.” In my opinion, running a positive campaign means just that. You positively present yourself and your positions without presenting your opponent as negative, or running ads that tear down your opponent with outrageous claims or images that misrepresent your opponent’s words, or border on slander or libel. However, this is exactly what McCain has done. The straight-talking statesman has morphed into Mr. Negative Numero Uno.

If we can’t count on McCain to keep a simple promise to run a positive campaign, how can we count on him to deliver on larger promises regarding our nation’s economy or national security?

Before Hillary Clinton succeeded the primary race to Barack Obama, John McCain was civil—even cordial to Obama, and quickly and fiercely denounced negative campaigning and below-the-belt punches—such as one radio host’s introduction of McCain while stressing Obama’s middle name, “Hussein.”

However, since the campaign has turned into a two-man race between McCain and Obama, McCain appears to have changed and back-tracked 180 degrees on his “no negative campaigning” pledge. From McCain’s ads, we’re learning more about what Senator Barack Obama is not than what Senator John McCain is.

McCain’s ads have exposed us to Paris Hilton, Brittany Spears, and stark quotes from Hillary Clinton and Joseph Biden in five separate campaign commercials. It’s clear that John McCain has decided that the best way for him to win is to use smear tactics against Obama, images of suicide bombers and fear to motivate Americans to vote for himself (McCain).

Ironically, in spite of McCain’s clear negative campaigning, he says that he doesn’t believe he is being negative “in the slightest.” Perhaps McCain’s view of “negative” is different than the average person—just as his view of the economy (being fundamentally strong) is different from average person.

McCain said he would be a positive campaigner, yet he’s changed his tune. Clearly, in John McCain there is change we can believe in—that is in his propensity to change his mind and his direction. So just what tune will he be singing come January if elected? Will McCain be the McCain the strong, independent maverick, or will he continue courting conservatives as he’s now doing and tow the party line? Which McCain will America get? We really don’t know.

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(View McCain's negative ads on his You Tube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/JohnMcCaindotcom)

Isn’t She Lovely…

She did it. If America had any doubt about Michelle Obama, none should remain. Michelle Obama delivered an incredibly impassioned speech that made clear the values that she and her husband hold. She shared that it was those common values of hard work and respect for others that drew she and Barack—individuals from opposite ends of the continent—together.

With perfect delivery, grace and confidence, Michelle connected with all of us, and made the case for electing Barack Obama as president of the United States of America. Michelle spoke in loving terms about her big brother Craig and her hard-working and loving parents.

Most of all, what became glaringly evident was that this was a woman speaking from her heart. A woman who within every living cell in her body—believed firmly in what she was saying. For Michelle Obama, it was not a stretch to speak in favorable terms about the opportunities that America provides. She did not have to conjure up elaborate tales of hard times. No. Michelle is no elitist.

Michelle knows hard work, struggle, opportunity—as well as triumph, first-hand. The story of her life and that of her husband Barack are only possible in America—and it’s cleary one reason why she is proud to be an American and why loves her country do deeply.

Stevie Wonder’s song, “Isn’t She Lovely,” is the perfect tribute to Michelle Obama’s speech. It is the first thing that came to mind when I saw her ascend to the podium. Flawless in appearance, graceful, cheerful and amazingly at ease while speaking to the entire world (via satellite and internet)—Michelle Obama is truly a woman in the right place at the right time. She can communicate and connect with every American of every color and creed. Michelle Obama simply has to be who she is—and she will make a terrific First Lady, and she will make America very proud.