That was only one part of what I said. But here is my explanation of that part. When I mean I would serve until I was no longer effective I mean by the views of those I serve not by my opinion. What you said is correct if the person is in it for personal gain, i.e. wealth, power, connections, political partisanship, etc. That does not apply to someone who is in it for the betterment of all, i.e. not a poliical partisan, not judgemental, not narrow minded, not egotistical. I believe in constructive criticism and in being self reflective which means I know I do not know it all and that by engaging others I can learn. Also by reviewing my various decision making paradigms and thought processes I can look upon my past decisions and ascertain what worked and what did not. A closed mind gathers no knowledge, and admitting you can be wrong allows you to be open to others.

This is why you must vote for me!

The problem with your platform, PD, is that most people, by nature of how we are made as humans, do *not* realize when they have stopped being effective. The world is full of people who should retire or move on who are still convinced that they are at the top of their field! Cheers, MGM

If I ever ran for a public office here would be my platform: I will promise nothing outside of giving every ounce of my being to doing what is best for this country I love; to be loyal to those who have entrusted in me the honor to serve, not to be loyal to a political party; to be open and honest in all my dealings in office; to vote according to realities not ideologies; to be fair to all; to research and understand all sides of an issue and the consequences that may happen given various decisions; and to only stay in office as long as I am effective and able to execute the duties of my position. The problem is that this is not sellable to much of the electorate. Many want the soundbites and the feel good and the quick answers. Then they wonder why not much happens after the elections.

"I really hope some epiphany hits me on this issue prior to November, but I have my doubts."

Just write in Ira Tateu. I have no experience and will gladly tell any of you anything you want to hear to get elected. Anything!

Ira, JM does the same. Look at his "reward" plan for inventing a better car battery. That is pandering feel good if there ever was. I see much the same in JM as you and I both see in BO. JM has backed off of many things he started off supporting: campaign reform; curbing excessive tax breaks for the wealthy and pittance breaks for the middle; pandering to lobbyists; etc. That is why I am in such a quandry. I really hope some epiphany hits me on this issue prior to November, but I have my doubts.

I wasn't trying to hound you in particular. I know man, it's tough. I guess my point has been from the start that Obama is not a real choice. It realy bothered me he though out these feel good initiatives that did not seem well thought out. Now, the exact same issues that helped him win the presumptive nomination he backed out of as soon as HC was out of the race.

How stupis as Americans ca nwe be when we are no longer inquisitive and critical about the person who will RUN THE COUNTRY? This is the single most powerful position on the planet and we offered 8 years to Bush and now many are being duped again by this strawman known as Obama. The day of having likeable candidates with a good stage presence needs to end. Our approach to electing presidents seems to be like a pretty girl complaining she never meets nice guys while walking past hundred and not noticing because of their looks.

Admitted in other threads that BO is no different than most any other schmuck that ever ran for a major office. So my answer to your question is a resounding yes-he is no different. The problem I am having is deciding which horse to bet on this time around. I am less than enthralled at the choices, but so be it. I just have to wade though all the hyperbole and all the grandstanding and try to ascertain who I feel would do a better job overall given what circumstances our country is in now.

"Do you really want someone to get into all the things JM has stated that he contradicted himself (or lied as you put it for BO)? They both have done it numerous times so I do not think anyone can really make a good argument in this avenue of thought."

So pd, then you admit that Barack Obama is indeed not a new and different type of politician? You at the very least will admit that his penchant for touting change and taking a different tact in politics is nothing more than a strategy to get elected?

These are fair questions. I trust you. Please no smokescreens, just yes or no should suffice.

Do you really want someone to get into all the things JM has stated that he contradicted himself (or lied as you put it for BO)? They both have done it numerous times so I do not think anyone can really make a good argument in this avenue of thought.

From Politico:

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) on Thursday backed off his firm promise to withdraw combat forces from Iraq immediately and instead said he could “refine” his plan after his trip to Baghdad later this month.

Earlier, a top Obama adviser had said that the senator is not “wedded” to a specific timeline.

Obama told reporters in Fargo, N.D., that he is “going to do a thorough assessment."

"When I go to Iraq and I have a chance to talk to some of the commanders on the ground, I'm sure I'll have more information and will continue to refine my policies," he said, according to CBS News. “I have been consistent, throughout this process, that I believe the war in Iraq was a mistake.”

Obama later said at a second news conference he still intends to stick to the timeline

They are both poor candidates and I am having a difficult time with my choice. But I will say this about JM: he admits he is not strong on economic issues and has repeatedly said this year that the economy is still strong in its underpinnings and that this is mostly physcholgical. Nice to know that my salary that has utterly failed to keep up with inflation (like all of us in the middle) is just in my mind. Then he trots on stage with his economic advisor Alan Greenspan-the guy who shrugged of warnings several years ago about the possibility of a bubble burst regarding the sub-prime mortgage issue. JM is so out of touch with the economy that it is amazing he knows how to say the word. As for Iraq, see nothing out of him other than more of the same. Two major strikes right now. BO gets a strike for lack of overall experience and a strike for lacking substance-so far. Two strikes for each. Woo-hoo!!

“Over the last 15 months, we’ve traveled to every corner of the United States. I’ve now been in 57 states? I think one left to go.”

“It's not surprising, then, they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.”

I believe he is far out of touch and really doesn’t know who the American people are.

I don’t like either candidate. I won’t vote for either one. But I will vote. I just don’t believe we should latch on to the lesser of 2 evils. Because when you do, you still get an evil.

There are others out there who have a firm grasp on Constitutional boundaries and know the limits of executive power. They are the ones who need to be trusted to this office. Not 2 power hungry politicians who probably haven’t read the Constitution since 12th grade.

I am glad that you are a black American, though I don't see the relavence. You assert that you don't think Obama has the experience for the presidency, but apparently you have not been paying any attention to what McCain says or does. Sen. McCain has explicitly stated that he knows nothing about the economy, but plans to read a book about it. Is that the type of leader you want in the White House? McCain also consistently misunderstands the difference between sunni and shia. Is that the type of person you want fighting terrorism? I would take inexperience over arrogance and ignorance any day of the week.

It should come as no supprise that no candidate is highly qualified in all areas of expertise and has the experience that will be required of a president. A president must have good advisers and highly qualified, knowledgeable people who provide him with good information with which they must make a judgment. Making the right decision based on the information provided is the key to success. Having the intuition, and ability to sort through the self serving and potentially incorrect or distorted information is the key to making good decisions and, of course, it is important who is calling the decision good or bad. In other words, who is he trying to please or appease. When you think of the laegislature and all the other people who want the president to do something for them and all the "if you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" deals that go on, making good judgments is an art and a science.

I agree, Lucy. Too bad no one with those qualifications is running this time (or last time).

I'm going to vote for someone, but I'm not happy with either of the candidates, for different reasons. I'm currently leaning towards brains over brawn, but we'll see.

As for the war on terrorism, relax. Our greatest threat is the deteriorating economy, not a few thousand misanthropes sprinkled around the world.