October 16, 2008

Low Point

Am I the only one who heard what sounded like a gasp from the generally well-behaved crowd at Hofstra, for the third debate, when John McCain said,

I would consider anyone in their qualifications. I do not believe that someone who has supported Roe v. Wade that would be part of those qualifications...

This, in response to a question about litmus tests. If this isn't a backhanded way of imposing a litmus test, I don't know my acids from my bases. Then too, his dismissive and sarcastic reference to the "health of the mother" stands in stark opposition to Obama's well articulated position, which just happens to coincide almost verbatim with that of The Episcopal Church. And McCain's the Episcopalian.

Tobias Haller BSG

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Tobias,

Actually, he appears to be Baptist now..
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/mccain-baptist-or-episcopal/1782539995

Thank goodness for small favors....

Jan said...

I missed that last night; thanks for pointing it out.

Anonymous said...

Don't forget his "air quote" gestures also, in McCain's dismissal of women's health.

Truly disgraceful! Nevermind the Presidency: his misogynistic *rse should be kicked out of the Senate, too. >:-/

It's been a long time comin', but I think a CHANGE is gonna come...

Country Parson said...

A group of neighbors gathered around the TV for the debate and conversation after. One thing is clear, McCain cannot win unless the base turns out in huge numbers, and they have never much cared for him. So he has to go overboard to pander to them. The base that everyone talks about is nothing other than the right wing of conservative evangelicals who have done their best (and they did it well) to become the single most powerful voting bloc in the nation. The Democrats don't really have a base, so on the one hand they don't have the problem of turning out the base, but on the other they also don't have a core of true believers, and that makes Democrats vulnerable.

Tobias Stanislas Haller BSG said...

Let me second Country Parson's concern and alert. Democrats are often highly motivated, even visionary, but then fall flat on implementation. They talk a good talk but then don't turn up to actually vote. It is the voting that matters, in this case (not to diss good talk... but without action it is, as James observed of those who nod vigorously when they hear something they like, unproductive.)

It just occurs to me to recall that "vote" comes from the same root as "vow" -- so let's live up to the promise, and the freedom we have been given, to exercise that franchise.

Brother David said...

He merely attends a Baptist Church. It has been mentioned elsewhere that the pastor of this church that he attends has let McCain know that a baptist must be baptized by full immersion as an act of believing faith. McCain's infant baptism in TEC by pouring does not meet that criteria.