September, 2008
Sycophants for Obama
Guest Columnist Adjunct UF Law Professor, Ed Harmon
In this campaign the print media, like the Gainesville Sun, and its parent, The New York Times, have acted as shameless sycophants for the Barack Obama campaign.
Little attention or prominence has been accorded to an in-depth analysis of the many positions that Sen. Obama - who the media always describes as a brilliant orator - has taken and reversed; on abortion, gun control, capital punishment, FISA, school vouchers, the status of Jerusalem, faith-based federal programs, public financing of his campaign, willingness to debate Sen. McCain, welfare, NAFTA and so on.
Sen. John McCain has changed his positions on offshore drilling (I wish he would change them with regard to ANWR) but admitted the same and said that the price of gasoline had to be considered. People will accept and respect that, and they have done so.
It is almost humorous how often your paper [the Gainesville Sun] airs views that the McCain campaign has been inept. To the contrary, for Sen. McCain to be tied with Obama in most major polls - despite Obama and the “Move On-Soros” crowd having outspent McCain by hundreds of millions of dollars, despite Obama having the unbridled adoration of the major national TV and print media, and the almost unanimous support of academia - indicates that, maybe, the American people do believe that character, integrity and competence, over time may actually be prerequisites for the presidency.
McCain has shown, not talked about, the ability to reach across the partisan divide, despite the political cost to him, time and time again. Obama has never done so, being the most extreme liberal in the U.S. Senate.
Democrats should recognize that Congress’ 9 percent approval rating has been earned and start to address the real needs of the American public.