CURRAN: Obama didn’t disappoint family

By KELLEY CURRAN
Local Columnist

April 29, 2008 08:19 am

— My children had the privilege of attending yet another candidate event this past week, but this time there was no dragging needed or complaints of boredom expressed. Tere was not one eye roll for hours, and mind you, these are teenagers.
Instead, there was singing, chanting and claims of, “my hero,” “this is so cool; my friends are going to be so jealous,” and from my son whom I didn’t initially plan on taking since he would miss school, “I’ll do anything, just please, please let me go!” and walking a few blocks to get the required additional ticket himself.
All this excitement was, of course for, “Obama! Obama!” who visited Indiana University Southeast and downtown Jeffersonville on Wednesday. If the screaming and gushing coming from them and the teenagers and college students at IUS are any indication, claims this guy has rock-star appeal among young people have not been exaggerated.
All three of my children managed to push to a position at the end of the speech to shake his hand. My son believes his was the last hand Obama shook before leaving. Colleen got as close to a hug as the Secret Service allowed, and an, “I love you back,” to her “I love you.” Tara just flashed a camera in his face as he greeted her. We’ll work on manners this week.
Mom was impressed with his ability to speak very well and detailed without notes. I also noted that his speaking was hardly as substance-free as his opponent would have us believe. It was a town-hall meeting format. None of the questioners appeared planted. The candidate was capable and comfortable during the meeting, feeling free to disagree and even chide questioners.
His sense of humor was great and not forced. He got a laugh from me when discussing the influence of special interests on policy, particularly the influence on energy policy under George W. Bush referring to Bush’s decision to put, “my cousin, Dick Cheney, in charge of energy policy.”
Though nothing about Obama’s appearance had me swooning like some supposedly do in his presence, he lived up to all the best that has been suggested of him. He appeared a man of integrity willing to disagree with potential voters and pledging to accept no money from federal lobbyists or PACs (unlike his opponent). He was knowledgeable, accessible, charismatic and also incredibly skinny. Political cartoons showing a man of mostly hands, feet and ears were suddenly redeemed.
I ask everyone to note the word in large font at the top of this page before proceeding further in this column. Back down here, now? It should have read, “Opinions.” OK, now we can go on.
A glance through this and a couple past columns could give the impression I’m pro-Obama. I’m not really. I honestly believe — as stated a few weeks back — the president’s influence on policy is limited, and it is really character that matters for the office.
Further, I am neither Republican nor Democrat, support few policy options offered by either party, and will not likely support a candidate of either in a general election. Like so many voters and concerned citizens, however, there are people I shudder at the thought of seeing elected. Hillary Clinton is one of those people.
Shortly after “Clinton the First” was elected in 1992, I had a formative conversation with my Republican-hating grandmother. Clinton had just revised all the budget-dependent campaign promises made because the numbers used by the campaign to devise their touted plans were not representative of the real numbers. It was all “fuzzy math” as “Dubya” would call it. They had access to accurate numbers. Those just wouldn’t have gone over as well, so they lied.
“Well, of course he lied or he wouldn’t have got elected!” Grandma said. She was clearly frustrated that I didn’t get such an obvious truth and forgive the man for simply doing what was necessary to win. As the Clinton presidency wore on we had similar conversations with her consistent point being, similar to Cheney’s concerns about the views of the American people now that I think of it, “So.”
There is something disturbingly cynical about a belief that since lying may be helpful to win, it is acceptable. Just like any other interaction with known liars, shouldn’t we immediately question what else they might be lying about, like what they will do once in office, what they really believe, to whom they’ll be loyal?
One known lie, for example claiming to have landed in Bosnia under sniper fire, should be a disqualification in the eyes of voters. Period. When a person has been caught lying more than once, been caught with subpoenaed files that may make them look bad tucked away in their office, and is part of a team in which the other member is famous for lying, it should be a no-brainer. Recent polls show even her own supporters believe she is dishonest.
A general election choice between Obama and John McCain would be a choice between honest and decent candidates. One concern expressed during the first Clinton era was the influence on the values of children when the president gets caught lying and cheating. What in the world does it teach them about our values if a known liar beats the honest man they love?
Jeffersonville resident Kelley Curran wonders if the reason she doesn’t scream, gush or swoon over presidential candidates is due to her age. The thought makes her shudder. Write her at kelinawriterhat@aol.com.

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