Grandma's Boy

This Monday the Obama campaign announced that Barack would be leaving the trail on Thursday to visit his grandmother in Hawaii. Lately her health has become increasingly worse, and now she is in a serious situation. So, after an event in Indianapolis Thursday morning, Obama will fly to Hawaii. He is scheduled to return to the campaign trail on Saturday. While he is gone Michelle Obama will be speaking in his place at previously scheduled events in Akron and Columbus, Ohio. 

So what will the public's opinion be on this?

I personally do not see how any good natured person could condemn such a decision. Sure, he is leaving the campaign trail in the final 15 days, but seriously, its his grandma. Obama has made it very clear in his speeches how important this woman is to him. She raised him. He has pointed out time and time again that without her, he would not be where he is today. 

But what of John McCain's decision to leave the campaign trail to focus on the economy several weeks ago?

It seemed to me as though almost everyone saw what it really was: a publicity stunt to win voters who had doubts about Obama's economic policies. Contemplating the reason for these candidates leaving the campaign trail is a contemplation of the character of the men themselves. McCain decided to try and win over votes by "leaving the campaign" to "focus on the economy". Obama is leaving for 2 days to visit his grandmother, the woman who raised him, because she is incredibly ill. He may be a grandma's boy, but at least we know he's not trying to win a sympathy vote or something. 

Oh, and here's an article if you're interested

Joe the Plumber says: "Obama is a socialist!"

"You see, [Obama] believes in redistributing wealth, not in policies that help us all make more of it. Joe, in his plainspoken way, said this sounded a lot like socialism."-John McCain, in a recent radio address

"Joe suggested that that sounded a little bit like socialism. Whatever you call it, I call it bad medicine for an ailing economy..."-Sarah Palin, at a recent rally in West Chester, Ohio

The McCain/Palin campaign's new favorite word is 'socialism'. Since the last presidential debate, both McCain and Palin have been routinely describing Obama's tax policies as 'socialist'. It is reminiscent of Senator McCarthy's communist witch-hunts during the Red Scare, which served to call out suspected Communists and bring them to justice. Throughout history, political policies have been criticized as 'socialist' or 'communist'. McCain's recent employment of this strategy is just another example of this. 

What is interesting is how McCain will call Obama's policies socialist, but not the candidate himself. When McCain was asked why he used the word 'socialist' in his radio interview, he responded: "That's what it is. 'Spreading the wealth' around is socialism." However, when McCain was asked whether he considered Barack Obama a socialist, he said "I don't know." Thankfully McCain is not taking things as far as McCarthy once did, but it is not a favorable practice either way. 

I would not say that I am surprised by McCain's new strategy. These types of practices are to be expected in a last ditch effort to win over voters. This is just a reminder of how powerful the criticism of 'socialism' remains to this day. America is known as a democratic nation, and it has forever been an opponent of any signs of communism. Tying Obama's policies to socialism makes it appear as though Obama is not a patriot, and therefore not deserving of the presidency. I just hope this sad attempt at derailing Obama's campaign in the final hours remains unsuccessful. 

To read more on the topic, check this out.