"A President 'Just Like Me'" EGADS!

I am little behind in my blog-reading. This morning I read this article by RogueColumnist that makes me want to stand up on a chair and shout "Hallelujah" and "AMEN, Brother!" (except that I don't do that kind of thing). Instead I want to pass it along. Stop and read it now. Please. Never mind my commentary.

I don't want a president "just like me" either -- not that Sarah Palin is just like me. I read the newspapers and occasionally have moments when there is cosmic convergence of some sort and I have an inkling of a CLUE!

Consider the Great Presidents mentioned in the article. We should seek out and search for the BEST in America to lead us. The forward-thinking. The visionaries. Perhaps someone with less political experience is just the ticket. Someone with not-so-much experience but a lot of education and a lot of heart.

I used to respect John McCain. I intended to vote for him in 2004 if George Bush hadn't stabbed him in the back in South Carolina. Something happened to McCain on the way to the 2008 Election. I don't know if he's gotten old and senile and more pliable for his handlers to manipulate or what. Or if he sold out. (I really hope it was the former. I really do like the guy.) His choice of Palin was utterly irresponsible.

I was not initially thrilled with Obama, but he's grown on me. I may quibble with his policies, but he speaks in full, grammatical sentences that turn into paragraphs that make sense, and are sometimes inspiring. His demeanor is calm and comforting [which is really important to me these days as freaked out as I am by the "mysterious" disappearance of a large chunk of my 401(k)]. He has behaved like a president. He's smart. More importantly, he's well educated. He was a community activist; they tend to care about people.

I don't want a president "just like me." I want someone smarter, stronger, steadier and with more courage than I have. I don't know for sure that the Obama/Biden ticket will fill that bill entirely, but I'm absolutely positive McCain/Palin doesn't. (And don't go off on me about McCain's courage. Yes! He exhibited gobs of it in Viet Nam. I respect and honor him for that. He must have used it all up in the service and in his wonderful early years in the Senate when he did work across party lines and take risky stands on issues, because he didn't seem to be able to stand up to the right wing-nuts who pushed Palin on him.)

Bottom line: I voted for Obama.

Because I want a president who's better than me.