The star of last night’s debate was clearly Joe Wurzelbacher, otherwise known as Joe the Plumber. The winner is up for debate. But Americans were certainly the losers as both candidates competed not for the role of Commander-in-Chief, but for the role of Panderer-in-Chief.
In these troubled times, we can and should demand more from both candidates. If we don’t, then to paraphrase Richard Harris’ words in Gladiator to his son Joaquin Phoenix, their flaws as presidents are our failings as citizens. We can get both of these guys to do better in the last days of this campaign, and better get whoever is elected to do better when they take office.
What’s the definition of better? Telling us the truth, even when it hurts! Every mess we are in right now, from the war in Iraq to the meltdown in the markets was driven by leaders on both sides of the aisle who told us what they wanted to be true, instead of what was. And last night we watched as both candidates did the exact same thing.
When asked by Bob Schieffer what, given the economic woes we face, each of them was ready to cut from the list of give-a-ways and tax breaks that each has proposed, neither candidate gave a straight answer. Each goes merrily along telling us that they can sustain the plans they made six to twelve months ago as if nothing has changed. Either they are idiots, or they think that we are. And if we are not prepared to insist on hearing bad news i.e. what is no longer possible in light of new economic realities, we are.

But as leaders, both Obama and McCain should lead. Both should articulate how all that they hoped to do is no longer possible and how our inability to admit the gap between what is desired and what is actual, is in many ways, what got us into to trouble to begin with. Neither of them has all of the answers and neither of them could get all of their answers through congress even if they did. But both of them could be straight with us about the sacrifices that will be demanded of all of us, regardless of income, in the months and even years ahead.
And they faired no better on the campaign ethics front than they did on the economy. How is it possible that John McCain can be so appropriately articulate on the inappropriateness of Congressman John Lewis comparing the McCain campaign to that of George Wallace, while remaining so obtuse about the genuine horror of people at Republican events screaming “kill him”, when Obama’s name is mentioned? And how is it that Barack Obama can not simply say “I repudiate those comments because they represent the exact kind of hate-mongering to which John Lewis was objecting”?
Shame on both of them, and shame on all those who are more interested in spinning the outcome of one debate instead of demanding better from both candidates. It’s great to hear what we want from the candidate we support, but show me the candidate who can get us to pay attention to what we do not want to hear and I’ll show you the candidate who can lead us well during the next four years. Personally, I am still waiting to see if either of them can. And if whoever wins in November can not be that person, we will all live to regret it regardless of who we voted for.