Go for Barack?

I'm not paying too much attention to the presidential wannabees just yet, and I'm certainly not about to pick on one party and not the other, but I sure am getting a kick out of the Hillary Clinton/Barack Obama squabble. As long as I started listening to election time politicians, and that was quite some time ago, I've always noticed, or so it's seemed to me, that Democrats pick on each other more than Republicans do. The Democrats try to outdo each other in the liberal department while the Republicans do the same thing on the conservative end. Boy, we've got a long way to go before November, 2008.

Personally, I think Obama is a pretty good guy. I'm not talking political views at all. I'm saying he's the kind of guy you probably wouldn't mind having as a neighbor, a good family man who keeps his yard well manicured, someone who would throw a nice, clean party. As a professional, if he was in the medical field, I'd have no problem having him as my doctor. He seems intelligent enough, in other words, and certainly honest and straightforward. But, does intellect translate into common sense? I don't know if he's quite presidential timbre yet as a first term senator and I don't want my president sitting down with a nut who says the Holocaust never took place and Israel must be destroyed. Clearly, the man is a little green in the world of international politics and diplomacy. Granted, they all go in that way, but should a statement about meeting the renegade leaders of the world in your first year as president have been made so prematurely? Sure, you're president from day one, and you've got the first 100 days honeymoon myth on your side, but it takes a while to get all your players in place, such as diplomats and appointees that must have Congressional approval. One year's time is much too short to understand the workings of a complex world and to have it all done your way. His challenge to his opponents to do the same thing was wisely declined by Sen. Clinton.

When he made the statement that he would be willing to meet, without conditions, in the first year of his presidency, with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea, it lowered his stature to their level. Yes, I'm all for keeping lines of communication open, but for him to meet face to face with maniacs? It makes those nut cases heroes at home, strong leaders on the world stage and powers to be reckoned with and respected. I'd like to know where he plans to hold these slumber parties, too, these love feasts. Would he throw them a state dinner?

Here's the scary part. What would he do for an encore? The Obama/Osama Summit in '10? Oh my.