Is this a football game or Presidential contest?

While watching the debate last night I couldn't help but notice a strategy employed in football - that is, dominating the clock. A strategy masterfully demonstrated by John McCain, supported by referees refusing to flag any personal fouls, or make any holding calls. Senator McCain took every opportunity he could to take control of the clock, by turning every response into a slow-spoken long-winded recitation of his stump speech, and even though he continued to mischaracterize Mitt Romney's position throughout the night, in what could be compared to verbal holding (at least I felt like I was being facemasked), with his petty argument over timetable semantics, the moderator, Anderson Cooper refused to break it up or penalize anyone. In the end it seemed as if the Senator was really more interested in keeping his face in front of the camera, and taking time off the clock, than making a real point. And so McCain managed to dominate, not with any flashy plays, or great feats of political athleticism, but by keeping the ball on the ground (some would say "in the dirt") and just pounding it down everyone's throat.

But this primary contest is not simply about rooting for one team or another to win, with no real consequences to our lives Monday morning. This is a serious contest for the leadership of the most powerful and influential nation on earth, with consequences that will last for at least the next 4 years, if not much longer. If this is what our political debates, and nominating process have come down to, as Ron Paul so eloquently pointed out,"rather silly, because they're arguing technicalities of a policy they both agree with….", with no real issues being debated in depth, then what do we have? Even after 20 debates, which should have given everyone enough time to really examine the candidates, their records, and their vision going forward, how much do we really know about these guys? It appears the two media-anointed "front-runners" are much more interested in spitting on each other than really engaging in important debate over policy and vision. Neither of those guys showed any admirable leadership qualities last night that would inspire votes for them.

That attribute, and not surprisingly for those who have been closely following him, was best demonstrated last night by Governor Mike Huckabee. While Romney, and especially McCain came across like a couple of teenagers with their "who said what, when" pettiness, Governor Huckabee, when he was afforded the opportunity to speak, eloquently spoke boldly about the issues America is facing today. No stump speach excerpts from him, but words passionately, and thoughtfully spoken from the heart. His responses to questions about whether or not the country is better off today, whether the proposed stimulus will achieve its purpose, how he would judge Russian President Putin, the value of human life, and military strength and strategy, showed a thoughtfulness, and understanding of conservative principles that hasn't been seen from a Republican presidential candidate for nearly 30 years.

Regardless of how the debate started, and progressed into a drawn out petty argument between media nominated "front-runners", it finished with inspiring words from a formerly obscure Arkansas Governor, reflecting on the man for whom the setting honored; that he was much more than a "policy-wonk", but a President who truly understood how great a nation we live in, and was able to unite Americans from all walks of life, and inspire them to achieve the greatness he so deeply believed was theirs to grasp. For our nation's sake, and the sake of mankind struggling for freedom the world over, let us pray that this primary contest, and ultimately, the election that follows finds it's way to the same conclusion.

Michael Gerhart
Whately, MA


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