38 days away...

One thing that I was thinking about as I watched McCain and Obama square off last night, is how the two candidates really appear to the American people. McCain has been characterized as a regular, ordinary guy--sort of the George W. Bush of this election. I guess that makes Barack Obama, Al Gore and John Kerry. Somehow it has gotten into the minds of a lot of people that the Republican candidate for President is more down-to-earth and ordinary. While the Democratic candidate is elitist and better than most Americans. Wait a second. Shouldn't the Commander-in-Chief be better than most Americans? Isn't that one thing that separates the President/President-to-be from most Americans. I can't figure out why, but a lot of Americans seem to want someone just like them in the Oval Office. I think I'm an okay guy and good at certain things, but personally, I wouldn't want someone like me as President. I want someone better than me, who has proven his or herself as a leader.

The President has such capacity to influence the American people. Instead of trying to influence the American people for good, Dubya chose to focus on the power that comes with being sworn in when promising to defend and protect the U.S. Constitution. As I looked at both candidates last night, I saw one candidate being true to himself. And I saw one candidate trying to appear average, regular, and "American". Barack Obama spoke naturally, carried himself the way he always does, and had a Presidential poise that showed me that he is ready to lead this country. John McCain tried to appear like he isn't part of the upper crust of society. He spoke like a regular, old-fashioned American. I feel like this was exactly the ploy the Republicans used for Bush. But John McCain certainly is not George W. Bush. So it upsets me greatly when he acts like he is. He may agree with Republicans in Congress and the policies proposed by the Bush administration, but he certainly has quite a different resumee from Bush.

Regular and average is not owning 4-8 houses. I sure hope that the voters saw through that last night. Still, there's a lot of time left before November 4.