Leon Panetta: If leaders can't lead, the people must
(Monterey County Herald) What is more disturbing is that the hoped-for change that the presidential candidates are promising is rapidly eroding into politics as usual. Instead of the kind of serious debate over how to mobilize the nation to deal with an unprecedented set of crises, the candidates are caught in the minutia of who is more patriotic, flip-flops about campaign financing, gun control and flag pins, and who is more supportive of faith-based programs.
Comments (2)
Dump Obama!
Thank you Leon!
My feelings do not permit me to speak with the same dignified and eloquent force with which you have described our contemporary crisis of leadership. Rather than take the private citizen actions you suggest, I propose more direct political action.
I feel conned and betrayed by Obama. His vote on the FISA bill, his position on abortion, his proposal to expand faith based programs prove that the Senator is "more of the same." His "change" rap has been bunk! I don't trust him; nor should any progressive.
At the convention Democrats and particularly the "superdelegates" must dump Obama as the Democratic candidate. Let's switch to Hillary!
Posted by W B Daniels | July 13, 2008 9:28 AM
I believe that Senator Obama has a strategy behind his recent decisions - otherwise, they are just too baffling. Abandoning public financing was a real blow. All one has to do is follow the money to discover where the message of politicians gets distorted and unsavory. We need campaign finance reform more than anything in this country so candidates who are really for change can compete. Then it really is about solutions and leadership and not who has more money. I also cannot understand for the life of me why Obama played right into right-wing nonsense by responding the way he did to the question of late term abortion.
I am still excited that so many voters are inspired by Barack Obama's candidacy and believe in his message of change. I, myself, have not been so mesmerized. I have always seen him as a politician like all the rest, including Clinton.
Maybe Panetta is different. Will he ever run?
Posted by Kate Daniels | July 14, 2008 8:24 AM