Well said. But as you’ve heard me say before, I think Ron Silver’s speach at the last Republican Convention is very much still valid. There is only “one” thing (ok it’s a small set of things) that really matter. And I for one am yearning for an American Leader who “gets it” but is more adept at handling it than the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue (W gets it all right, but is inept at dealing with it).

Whether Americans like it or not, “the West” is an American Empire. When will Americans wake up to the responsibility of Empire. When the U.S.S.R potentially threatened us with annihilation, we did ok. But since Ronald Reagan effectively put the Cold War into history, we have sort of wished we “didn’t have to” lead the world. Alas it doesn’t work that way. And we now have an ascendant Chinese, Indian and Arabian Empires, as well as a few lesser tyrants such as Venezuela. Some of these will ally with us (India?) Some will compete with us commercially first, but ultimately militarily if they have to (China?) and some want to take us on right now… so now what? Lead already!!! and stop kvetsching.

Do I ish for a better choice than Obama/McCain? Absolutely. But given this choice, I know McCain is more apt to assume the mantle of leadership appropriately. If Obama backed his eloquence with substance, I’d be his biggest supporter. He had a GOLDEN opportunity to do so this past week, but all he offered was the same pablum. And it IS beginning to sound stale. I more readily cry watching Bambi now than listening to his rhetoric. That was NOT true when HE spoke at the Democratic Convention last.

Is McCain gonna do what he thinks he has to do in order to win the election? you betcha. Do I wish neither side should have to play politics to win the election? you betcha. But out in Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania etc. that crap works. But I have heard McCain speak and he “gets it” in terms of what is really important, and he knows that just giving a rousing speach isn’t going to solve the problem. He spells out solutions.

Oh, and lastly, yes he WAS right on the surge and he remains right that Iraq is going to need more help and support for longer than next year despite what Maliki says. Will you give him credit for being right? After all, by being right he helped ensure that we probably won’t need to be there 100 years from now.