I agree with the quoted statement, fragment that it is, as the ideal motivation for a president. Obama had the world of money at his fingertips, and he forsook that for a life of public service, starting with sobering, challenging work in the poorest communities of the disenfranchised. How much more selfless can you get? When you see this man at work, with his family at his side, it is clear that he is fighting for their future, not for himself. McCain served in the Navy, as his fathers did before him. To read his books (ghost written, natch), you learn that he really didn't see much of a choice as a young man. After serving with great valor, even through extreme POW circumstances, he returned to the US, and started to show ambition. When given the opportunity to substantially upgrade his social and economic standing, he abandoned the wife who had nursed him through his horrific injuries to marry into a formerly unfathomable level of wealth, comfort, and influence. The choice has served him well.
"Did someone ask to avoid substance?! Consider substance shot dead with a high-caliber moose rifle!!1!"
Well, according to his own writing, he arrived back in the US in really bad shape. His first wife showed great patience and care, tending his enormous wounds and waiting on his needs. My point is just this: how does one make Obama out to be more selfish than McCain? They both love their country, and in my view, are in it for the right reasons. If you want to focus on the most negative view (as I've done here for McCain, as an example), you can make a compelling case for selfishness. But they're both in it for the right reasons, an objective observer can clearly see. (edit: I wrote this before reading that quotation from FranchiseBlade -- ouch, for McC).
Okay... the after care... Just wanted clarification. Yep. Their stories are different. I also don't think there is any way to declare, or know for sure that Barack turned down guaranteed money. No one knows if they will succeed in their area of studies before they do. It's all hindsight. And I sometimes doubt that hindsight is as much 20/20 as we think it is. For example... just a let a man die, and all of the sudden he is better than he was. So... even the living can have their past choices glorified.
And so continue the misadventures of teh_konqeestador <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/0w6L93kD3xw&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/0w6L93kD3xw&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
TJ just for you buddy, point by point analysis Ideals, Principles, Values, Patriotism? SERVING A CAUSE GREATER THAN YOUR OWN SELFISH AMBITION? Thanks FB! Will the fool post again on this thread? highly unlikely
i respect the soldier for fighting for his country. but you need to understand that the whole war was predicated on a bunch of lies concocted by bush and his men. there were no weapons of mass destruction. there was no al-qaeda (please, dont say there were links. bin laden and hussain were sworn enemies), and there was stability in the iraq. bush went to war to avenge his father and satisfy his own desire for glory. the result? a war that was initially budgeted for 80-90 billion is now costing trillions, hundreds of thousands of iraqis are dead (but who cares about them), thousands of americans troops are dead (and this was after mr. bush declared the mission to be accomplished and failed to give our troops adequate armor), the national deficit has never been greater, iran has moved iin and basically made iraq its satellite, bush committed felonies by allowing illegal wiretapping, caused half of the world to turn on us, created a vacuum which gave birth to a thousand bin ladens, and the list goes on and on. and you have the audacity to imply that obama is being selfish. you intellectually bankrupt mindless drone. BUT mccain was a pow. and his vp candidate is highly qualified with good looks, low tops and miniskirt to be a heartbeat away from the presidency. what a freaking joke. hell. romney's wife would have made a better candidate.
Only if you wear a pin, say the pledge every day, hold a sign that says, "I support our troops", chant USA USA USA whenever you can, and you have to poop on veterns. That's a patriot by TJ's standards.
If you don't get elected you won't have the opportunity to be the president of the US so the person chosen to complete the ticket has to offer something in the way of elect-ability as well as capability. Biden and Palin are unusual in that both come from small states. It is only your opinion that Palin is a completely political decision; I think you are slanted there. Wouldn't Kaye Bailey Hutchinson have been more political? Better known. Longer service on the national stage. Hails from Texas. How about Mitt Romney who was a markedly stronger foe in the primary season than Joe Biden was. I think you can make the argument that Palin was a less political choice than could have been made. Anyone chosen has some kind of political profile so there is no way to choose someone that would not have been political.
