T
he presidential race between Senators Obama and McCain is neck and neck.
Despite post-convention bumps in the polls, neither candidate has been able to pull away from the other. But now, the candidates have been given a tarnished, yet golden, opportunity.
It is a piece of low-hanging fruit just waiting to be plucked. But will either candidate grab it?
In times of crisis, people look to their leaders. That’s just the way it works. And, if you haven’t noticed, we are in a bit of a jam.
But fortunately for us, we are also in the midst of a presidential election. And in less than six weeks, either John McCain or Barack Obama will be our newly elected president. For each candidate, it’s a great time to step up and shine, or stay low and go home.
Even president Bush knows the deal. He has left the door open. He has given control over to Treasury Secretary Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke. He’s a lame duck waddling away.
Have you seen him lately? He looks terrible. I don’t know who’s running the country anymore. Even Vice President Cheney has failed to step up and take command. Now, that’s scary.
In this leadership vacuum, an opportunity to win the White House sits before Senators Obama and McCain. The country is theirs for the taking. But neither man has stepped up to rise above the fracas and the fray. Instead, they’re stuck playing partisan politics. They have fanned the flames of fear. They have been playing the blame game.
It’s time to move on and get to the business at hand. I want to see what these men are made of. Show me why you should be president. The spotlight is yours — it’s time to lead.
This is an economic crisis, and in times of economic crises, nothing is more important than confidence. But our confidence is shaken. We need a candidate who exudes confidence — panic and fear are our foes. Remind us that this is the United States of America. Let us know that we’re still strong. Don’t let us forget that we’re still the greatest nation on the planet.
We might have lost billions on Wall Street, but we’ve still got our most valuable asset — the American people. If you believe in us, we’ll believe in you.
It’s OK if you lie to us: We expect it — you’re politicians. It’s something else our leaders do. Just let us know that we can weather the storm. Tell us that even though times are tough, this is still America, and we are here to stay. We might be down now, but we will bounce back. Happier times are ahead.
Remind us that we are the best hope of the world. Rise to the occasion, make us better than we are. That’s what leaders do. Feel free to lull us into a false sense of security — we’re used to it.
As much as it is a curse, the economic crisis is also a gift: We get a preview of our candidates. It is a true test of character. It is the next best thing to on-the-job training.
This country is a bit off course and we need some guidance: Will anyone provide it?
The next few days could be the most important of the election. Let’s see how they handle themselves. The question is judgment versus experience, and we need both. Who will be a leader? Who will step up and break the gridlock? Who will seize the opportunity?
Who will be our next president?
Contact Jeremy Madden at madden@maddenamerica.com.
