On being presidential:

Here’s where we went wrong in 2000 (and by extension, 2008)

We elected a president we identified with.  George W. Bush is an average, everyday doofus.  As a result, most average, everyday doofuses can identify with him.

We made our mistake in thinking that this qualified a person to be president.  The now-famous poll question “Which candidate would you rather have a beer with?” should have sent up red-flags all over the place.

We don’t need a president we identify with.  We need a president who identifies with us.  Who is observant enough to see the trouble that the “average joe” is going through, but superior enough to know how to fix it.

I know the rabid-right are going to flame me for this, but this is where Bill Clinton excelled.  He grew up as one of us.  A middle-class american…but with one difference.  A vastly superior intellect.

He identified with us more than we identified with him.  He “Felt our Pain” and convinced us that that was so.

I think that (and let me preface this by saying that up until recently my mind WAS NOT made up about this election)

McCain totally fails that test.  He has no clue what it’s like to be middle class.  He thinks that if you make under $5,000,000 / year you’re middle class.  He and his seven houses (yes John, it’s seven, we counted so you wouldn’t have to)

Obama, well I don’t know.  But I know it’s more LIKELY that he’s on our side.  I know he’s experienced Lower-Middle class in ways that I don’t think McCain could imagine -

Obama went through some serious stuff growing up, I know where he’s coming from.  (Yes, a middle-aged white-guy can picture this – I grew up in Hawaii where I was a stark minority)