 |
Republican Leaders Who Truly Put Country First Must Reject McCain-Palin |
 |
For anyone who still had doubts, the past few weeks have made it crystal clear why Republican Sen. Thad Cochran said the thought of McCain in the White House “sends a cold chill down my spine.” When financial crisis struck, McCain floundered badly, at times clearly unable to handle a campaign forced to focus on substantive issues, at other times turning to cheap gimmicks apparently designed to distract the media.
Some conservatives are starting to raise questions. Columnist Kathleen Parker wrote that Palin should drop out of the race. Another conservative columnist, David Frum, says that Palin “has pretty thoroughly–and probably irretreivably–proven that she is not up to the job of being president of the United States.” Every excerpt from the Katie Couric interview proves how right Frum is.
There are two things that should happen next. First, Parker and Frum ought to ask why McCain picked such a clearly unqualified running mate. The most important thing about the Palin pick is what it says about McCain–his years of experience have not brought wisdom, judgment, or decisionmaking skills. Second, Republican leaders ought to realize that they have a duty to tell Americans what they know about McCain, in very clear terms, how the unmoored McCain campaign has only reinforced their concerns, and why McCain should not be president.
I want to hear from Sen. Cochran and others in the senate who have witnessed McCain’s erratic behavior first hand. It is time for George H. W. Bush, who promised of his son that “[my] boy won’t let you down”, to make up to Americans for the past 8 years by saving us from the prospect of McCain-Palin. Are there Republican statesmen and stateswomen who are really ready to put country first? It’s time for them to speak up.
This is about leadership and the question of whether country trumps party. We will see what Republican leaders are made of. So far, their silence speaks volumes about their willingness to put country first.
DISCUSSION
One RESPONSE to “Republican Leaders Who Truly Put Country First Must Reject McCain-Palin”