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Candidate Character

Revd Andrew Tempelman, PhD — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 08:25:54 -0400

Letter to the nation’s newspaper editors, or for Op Ed page.
Dear Editors, I offer this as a minister’s final checklist for Evangelical Voters on the looming, all-important difference between McCain’s Character and Obama’s in the final days before the election.
For Evangelical Voters: a Checklist of McCain’s Character vs Obama’s.
1. McCain’s Character in the Hanoi Hilton: All we get is his self-glorifying account. Many Vets have said he ratted on his buddies for Viet Cong favors, that he turned down early release before his buddies in fear of his navy admiral father, that he made 32 Vietcong propaganda films that he later got them sealed in DC, but not in Russia. Is McCain a war hero? Or a traitor for Communist favors, an admiral’s son, feted with tarts, not permitted to his tight-lipped buddies who had no admirals for fathers? He was there in 1972 for months while Jane Fonda was there. Hanoi’s not that big. Tell us, Jane. Did you two hook up? NH Sen Smith and many others said McCain alone killed the MIA-POW recovery bill—why?--to keep MIA-POWs silent about him. Palin’s pin-hole story is pure hokum. Imagine jailers ignorant of a communication pinhole, or unaware of his thumbs-up and big grins after beatings as they walked him back to his cell. Pretty sleazy story, Palin. Ted Sampley, US Special Forces fighter in Vietnam, now a leading camp-aigner for veterans’ rights, says: ‘I’ve followed McCain’s career for 20 years. I know him personally. There’s something wrong with this guy; let me tell you what it is–deceit.’
2. His Character crashing not 1 but 7 planes—a drunken lousy flyer, he was known as ‘Flamer McCain’ in the service. Google McCain/Forrestal to see how in 1967 he killed 132 fellow airmen with a smart-ass stunt on the Forrestal, and got the hell off the ship on the 1st rescue helicopter because his buddies wanted his blood. He was never even questioned and was awarded medals for each 1.5 hrs in the air because of his father’s naval status, while good pilots got no awards for many hrs in the air. He wasn’t shot down; he crashed in Truch Bach lake, Hanoi, just one more crash by a lousy airman later that year. That’s McCain-type Character. A crazy wild-man. The kind we don’t need.

3. His Character cheating (rhymes with Keating) on his 1st wife, and dumping her after her disfiguring car accident, far sleazier than John Edwards, whom nobody would vote for now. Ross Perot paid her medical bills all those years; he says both Carol McCain and the American people have been taken in by a man who is unusually slick and cruel–even by standards of modern politics. He picked Palin for the same reason he picked Democrat Feingold on campaign funding ‘reform,’--only to cover the smell of his own corruption.

4. His Character as one of the Chas ‘Keating 5’ senate swindlers of victimized US citizens, taking multi-$100,000 bribes to protect Keating’s creation of the same credit crisis on fraud loans in 1990-91 that we have today. That cost US taxpayers $160 billion. Thank you, McCain. You should be jailed along with Keating, not made president of the US. Bribery is the only economic Experience you have, also from Big Oil. You admit your ignorance of economics, and you claimed a profit on Palin’s plane-sale: more lies--she lost $600,000 on the sale, and the Alaska House leader sold it, not she ‘on E-Bay.’

5. His Character of 27 years cheating us in the Senate with a big salary to help him bag bigger bribes from the Oil Companies and subsidize more drilling, voting 23 times against alternative energy, vowing never to get the country off of its oil dependence, never doing an honest day’s work in his pampered life. And picking Mrs Exxon as his running mate. If we get McCain-Palin, we’ll always have Exxon-Mobil. He thinks we were all blinded by this poor Palin woman’s momentary flash and his poor judgment in picking her as a desperate, reckless and dangerous trick. McCain thinks he can run a self-glorifying soap opera in DC, like most of his life, not a serious national gov’t.

6. His Character cheating on the American people in Iraq, conspiring with Bush-Cheney on how to blow what will eventually cost us $3 trillion, nearly as much as WW II, and waste ever more of our youth’s lives over there. Not ‘the Surge,’ but Blackwater murders have ‘worked’ in Iraq. Bush-McCain lies again. If this fool were boss we’d still be in Vietnam, the way he’ll win ‘victory, someday’ in Iraq! Bush’s blowing $10,000 per sec-ond in Iraq (Google War-cost clock) will end US world leadership by 2015. I predict it.

McCain means ‘Son of Cain.’ And if you’re Biblical, Cain’s ‘Character’ will kill off US world-leadership as surely as Cain killed Abel. If he’s elected, the USA is finished as the world’s leader by 2015, just 8 years away, 2 terms. Here’s how: Just as Britain’s imperial world-domination killed it off by 1915, France’s by 1815, Holland’s by 1715, Spain’s by 1615, all 5 modern nations wrecked by gov’t blowing the national wealth on predatory wars, ours the Bush War, as clueless flyboy McCain will keep doing. Want no change and far deeper disaster? Vote the reckless mavericks, Cain and his little-yipping poodle.

The other man, Obama, has the Biblical character born of long-suffering, and the result-ing kindness and wisdom of the heart of Jesus Christ in him, something few nations will ever get to see in a leader, let alone a suffering world. Shame on you Evangelicals for preferring the shifty McCain, who mocks our faith, who only exploits it, as Bush did, who can’t even imagine the kingdom of God to which Obama wants to lead us. A glimp-se at that kingdom? If you earn less than $250 grand a year, there’ll be no more preda-tory IRS or income tax with Obama. This time he’s real hope for the middle class. Mc-Cain? Ignore his lies. There’ll be more taxes, for war, not to make us safer, but to enrich his wealthy, war profiteering pals, the same bankster bloats who gave us the recent economic collapse. That’s his record, and Bush’s, and now the Bailout’s: Socialism for the very rich. These are all McCain people, not Obama’s. They run McCain’s campaign. Haven’t we had enough of wealthy bloats running our lives, ruining our destinies?

Obama is simply the one with the brains and the heart this time; McCain has neither.

-- -Revd Andrew D Tempelman, PhD
-NH Republicans for Obama-Biden
-Former pastor, Lincoln’s church, 1st Presb, Springfield, Ill
-The Fellowship of Perfect Liberty, Nashua, NH
Dr-T@Comcast.net
Contact, call to confirm 603-880-3211

Independent-trying to decide

Independent76 — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:11:32 -0400

I've never felt strongly one way or the other, but the stakes seem higher this year and I'm committed to actually voting this time.

Perhaps there are others like me? My impression is that McCain has more experience but I'm upset by his pick of Palin who seems not ready for prime time and kind of shows a lack of judgment on McCain's part. Furthermore, he doesn't seem to be as 'with it' when it comes to economic issues and this bailout. His mortgage plan raises questions for me.

On the flip side, I know Obama hardly has any real experience to hang his hat on either. They never have been able to tell me what great things he's done, other than do well in law school and rise to prominence quickly. Despite this lack of experience, he seems polished and prepared (unlike Palin) so I guess most people look past it since he's smart and well-spoken and never seems flustered or outmatched. He also seems to have better plans on the economy and health care and even taxes (I don't know where the McCain people keep getting this tax increase idea, it's only for $250K and above and I'm ok with that!).

Anyway, that's what I've gleaned so far. I really like factcheck.org for unbiased information and I sometimes end up reading blogs/articles on both sides, but I'd like to find more unbiased opinions and facts to help sort this out. I guess I'm leaning Obama, but would like to understand the differences on policy between them better.

Would appreciate people pointing me to good unbiased resources to get more information.

If you're going to make a

Visitor — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:31:24 -0400

If you're going to make a comment like that, back it up with proof. Otherwise you just show your lack of education on the matter.

Obama has acted and spoken very firmly when it comes to dealing with terrorism. And he wants to finally end the war in Iraq that had nothing to do with the terrorist attacks on our country so troops can focus on the real problem - the Taliban and Afghanistan.

John McCain

Visitor — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 09:53:31 -0400

John (Wax Man) McCain -- Rudi (Knucklehead) Guliani -- George (Space Cadet) Bush...What a TEAM (Ha, ha).

Obama

Visitor — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 17:42:43 -0400

Obama is a real threat to the security of this nation. If he is elected, then look out for many attacks by the terrorists. He is not strong enough to take any action against them and they know it.

McCain's Debate Points

janet7678 — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 09:04:30 -0400

THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS DEBATE POINTS

#1 McCAIN AND OUR ECOMOMIC WOES:

McCain continues to site pork-barrel spending as the cause of our economic situation. These are projects for communities in America: for hospitals, schools, nursing homes, infrastructure, research, outreach programs. We elect politicians to represent us; they are doing what we elected them for when they request this money. Last year we spent $18 billion on these earmarks. That is less than what we spent in two months in Iraq. So McCain is begrudging the money spent to better the lives of Americans but supporting spending six times as much in Iraq. (Yes, there are abuses…ex. See McCain and the Keating Five; Republicans support of the oil and insurance industries; their support of unethical banks and CEO’s).

#2 McCAIN’S IMPASSIONED AND PHONEY LOVE FOR OUR TROOPS:

McCain is excellent in covering up the truth and making it sound sincere.

2005 McCain voted to kill an amendment to increase veterans medical care for the next year.

2006 McCain voted against increasing Veterans medical services funding to be paid for by closing corporate tax loopholes.

September 2006 McCain voted against delivering out support services at Walter Reed.

#3 McCAIN’S FOREIGN POLICIESMcCain has treated the Iraq war as a public relations stunt to boost his candidacy. With no political reconciliation how can he say that escalation of the war was worth it? This illegal and unscrupulous war has increased terrorism in the world, decreased our credibility with allies, cost us the lives of over 4,000 of our children and our economic stability, and made us less safe.

McCain criticizes Obama’s call for diplomatic action rather than military action McCain's hawkish stances alienate allies and prevent a global effort in combating terrorism . How many wars can America handle?

Think about the big picture, people!

Visitor — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 17:59:26 -0400

The information that I found most disturbing was how McCain would essentially halt all government spending. Apparently, he plans to make sure the federal economy does EXACTLY what we are spending $700 billion to PREVENT the national economy from doing. Think about it, people! If the federal government becomes stagnant and thousands of federal employees loose their jobs, it will decimate the communities where those jobs are localized, and don't think it won't impact NC. Every research facility including our universities (UNC, DUKE, NCSU) will be affected. With NO new research innovation, there will be NO new companies starting up in NC and NO new jobs to replace the ones that have already left us.

The only way for our economy to recover is to make sure our workforce is EDUCATED and INNOVATIVE and companies have a reason to operate here. Jobs are going overseas because in other countries, companies do NOT have to pay for health insurance, abide by safety and environmental regulations, or pay their workers more that $5 a day! The cost savings is so great that companies would rather ship all of the raw materials(from US) pay someone pennies to assemble the product, and then ship it back here for sale. A national healthcare plan could reduce the employee compensation cost and start making it financially attractive to keep jobs here.

Individuals need to think about our economy got to where it is. Have you purchased an item that was made overseas because it was a little cheaper? If so, then you had a part in sending someone's job overseas. (i.e. Hanes just closed 2 plants in NC). As an individual, you need to *reward* companies that *support* you, your neighbor, your community. We vote with our wallets every day.

Think twice before you support a campaign that will eliminate all government agencies (other than the military). Who will you look to when you loose YOUR job and need unemployment benefits? Who will help you when your house is destroyed by a hurricane? Who will you look to when melamine starts showing up in your milk or when your family starts to get cancer because no one is monitoring pollution levels in your area? What will you do when bioterrorists attacks and poisons our water or releases a virus? If McCain has his way, no one will be prepared to help you (because no one will be doing advanced research at our universities)! I find this very disturbing. Obama's plan of evaluating the budget and eliminating WASTE and taking steps to create a sustainable, energy independent nation sounds much more appealing.

Everything is connected. Make sure you consider the big picture when you vote. Write to your congressman and representative, too. Offer solutions, not just complaints.

I think that McCain has

Visitor — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 10:25:00 -0400

I think that McCain has always put the country first, and he is showing this one more time, that he would put his chance to become president on the line. He has never backed down for any kind of debate any everyone can see this, as for how many times has he asked to have more debates.

Whoever wrote this is a

Ringo — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:20:00 -0400

Whoever wrote this is a "true" coward and most likely has never served in the armed forces.

Debate

Visitor — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 10:50:13 -0400

Of course, the debate should go on.
McCain is just grandstanding.
You can see how much his "leadership" helped at the White House yesterday.
His tendency towards impetuous actions is not the type of steady hand required in these times.

Yes, they should debate!!!

Visitor — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 09:13:32 -0400

I think it is critical now more than ever that the debate goes on as scheduled. We, the American public, have a ight to hear what the next president of the US plans to do in the face of this financial crisis. I agree, the next president of the US should be able to multi-task. McCain's request to put off the debate til next week is a clear attempt to overshadow the impending Veep debates. Sarah palin is pitiful at best. As I watched her interview with katie Couric last last, I was embarassed fo her. Now is as good a time as any to bow out gacefully, with dignity.

Senator McCain was elected

Visitor — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 08:52:47 -0400

Senator McCain was elected to do a job and that is what he is doing at this time. The American people should and usually are angry when they are not represented by their elected Senators. The current and pressing issue is this financial crisis and mixing the election issues with this will cause further delays. I am a registered democratic but also remember when I was NOT allowed to take leave time during an audit while working for state government. Certainally the Federal folks should expect the same under conditions such as a national crisis. I wonder if we were under attack by a foreign nation, would the Obama group still press for a debate which can and should be delayed?

DEBATE

Visitor — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 06:09:35 -0400

Debate or Not.
One of these two will be the next president, handling this mess for the next four years.
I think they should be working on a solution, not a bailout, since they will be the one on duty during the next four years.
Any plan from either one?
I haven't heard one yet from either one.
Just bashing each other, but no real plan.
No Bailout!

Cancel them all

TarHeel99 — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:47:38 -0400

I think they should cancel all the debates.

After all, hasn't everyone who is paying even the least attention already decided who they are voting for?

If you haven't already decided, how likely is it that a two hour TV show designed to keep either candidate from embarrassing himself is going to cause you to make up your mind.

Instead, we will just get more fodder for the negative attack ads that will drown us over the next 6 weeks.

Are you kidding me?

craig — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 23:36:13 -0400

If ever any proof was needed that McCain can't multitask and handle a crisis this bowing out of Friday's debate "unless agreement is reached on the financial bailout" is it.

McCain can't handle the heat. He and Palin should stay out of the kitchen.

What did you think of the third presidential debate?

mwilliam — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 07:22:08 -0400

Barack Obama and presidential rival John McCain debated for the third and final time Wednesday night in their quest for the White House. What did you think of the debate? Was this debate better than the first two?

Barack Obama and presidential rival John McCain debated for the third and final time Wednesday night in their quest for the White House. What did…