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Murphy Martin Commentary
October 17, 2007
"Political Pot
Heats Up"
Presidential Candidates are stepping
up the tempo a bit more as we move just over one-year away from
electing a new occupant for 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in our nation's
capitol.
At this time it appears the Republicans will choose from: Fred
Thompson, John McCain, Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee,
Duncan Hunter, Ron Paul, Sam Brownback or Tom Tancredo. The
Democrats apparently will choose from: Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama,
John Edwards, William "Bill" Richardson, Joe Biden, Chris Dodd, Mike
Gravel or Dennis Kucinich.
Few political analysts will argue that the presidency of the United
States has undergone profound changes since the days of George
Washington. Today's presidents are, to a large degree, products of
the media. In a country obsessed with popularity ratings and polls,
we are most likely to elect the candidate who best looks and talks
the part on television. Still, whatever the capacity to govern, the
president must also be a human being committed to an almost
superhuman effort.
The late Larry Grove, a longtime friend of mine, once wrote: "The
greatest task of a president is not that of Commander-in-Chief or
party leader or legislative leader or director of foreign policy or
chief of executive branch or head of state. Each of these is
important, of course, but if a President is to be a great leader of
a morally great nation, he must do something that transcends these
jobs. He must speak TO the United States as well as FOR it."
We wholeheartedly concur with this assessment.
A president must find the right words
to lift men and women above themselves. He or she must be this
nation's conscience and its chief teacher. Such leaders are rare,
and we have a tremendous task of finding one every four years. Some
are better than others.
Senator Hillary Clinton seems to be the Democratic front-runner,
leading most all polls to date. On the GOP side no such clear leader
has emerged yet. Rudy Giuliani has shown well in several polls but
Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson and Mike Huckabee of Arkansas are most
talked about thus far.
Voters could have a chance to elect an African-American or a woman
for the first time in history. Sen. Obama has been out front in
fundraising, just a notch ahead of Sen. Clinton. But there are many
debates, some state primaries, and who knows how many personal
attacks yet to be heard. All Democrats are bashing away at President
Bush's handling of the Iraqi War. The Republican candidates, for the
most part are still supporting Mr. Bush's actions. Between now and
next summer's Party Conventions when the candidates will be chosen
we will hear from so-called "dirty tricks" committees which every
candidate will take an oath that they know nothing about such
things. With a media frenzy building and reporters personal
preferences creeping into their daily coverage, all candidates will
spend more time than they would like setting the record straight.
Will Hillary Clinton become the first woman president? Could John
Edwards regain his support in the South? Is Obama just a front
runner? Can Fred Thompson be Reaganesque enough to gain the GOP top
spot? Can Mitt Romney become the first Mormon elected? Can Rudy
Giuliani's indelible work during 9/11 continue to propel him
upwards? Is McCain too old?
Between now and election time in 2008, you will have heard more than
you ever wanted to know about all these candidates. In the end, YOU
will decide who the next person will be in the White House.
It is not an easy job. Never has been, never will be.
As the political pot begins to boil more, watch, listen and read
everything you can between now and election time. Become an informed
voter. Such voters will keep America strong.
That's my time, thank you for yours.
Murphy Martin
Your thoughts and comments forwarded to my website will be
appreciated.
e-mail
murphy@murphymartin.com
Previous commentaries:
"Bribery, Fraud, Conspiracy, Among Federal
Charges in Dallas!"
"Up Close and Personal"
"It's All About the Money"
"Six Years of Change"
"Couric and Zahn Facing Attacks"
"Thompson
Mapping Plans"
"Rove Retires -
Returns to Range"
"A Champion
Bares His Soul"
"Birthday Time"
"Candidates,
Storms, Murders, Wars and Paris Hilton is Loose Again!"
"Strange
Political Twists"
"What Happened
to Common Sense"
"Early
Predictions"
"Cell Users Have
More"
"It's Called
Infotainment"
"Fact or
Fiction"
"Legends Live"
"Massacre in
Blacksburg"
"Post-Easter
Parade"
"Gone But Not
Forgotten"
"Early
Predictions"
"2008 Could Be
Different"
"The Bug and
Nostalgia"
"A Night to
Remember"
"President's
Week"
"Two Different
Wars"
"Dungy Leaves
Indelible Mark"
"All Kinds of
Smiles!"
"Humbled, Not
Bowed!"
"Free at Last!"
"Three Vastly
Different Lives"
"America at Her
Best"
"Holiday
Surprises"
"Christmas 2006"
"Is the Fat Lady
Singing?"
"Sixty Five
Years Later"
"Make It Merry
Christmas"
"Voices from
History"
"Dreams -
Reality?"
"Democrats
Dominate"
"Honored and
Humbled"
"Last Minute
Sparring"
"Cheyenne
Memories"
"How Much Will
It Hold?"
"FOX Controls on
Tenth Birthday"
"Clinton Points
Finger Again"
"U.N. Nuclear
Sparring"
"SRO for Latest
Hall of Famer"
"Katie's Back,
Legs and All!"
"Will T.O. Ride
Bicycle Or Tricycle?"
"Couric News
Carousel Approaching"
"George Was Not
First"
"Cowboy's
Control Canton"
"Despite
Unfinished Business, Congress Takes a Vacation"
"Reality Television Rolls on Sunday"
"The President Speaks His Mind"
"The World Around Us"
"Birthday Time Again"
"Presidents -- Past and Present"
"Expensive Babies"
"Change of Pace"
"Yesterday Katie Said Goodbye to Today"
"Musical Chairs Continue at ABC-TV"
"No Quick
Support for Bush Plan"
"Moussaoui
Meeting with Virgins Delayed"
"What the Hell Happened?"
"His Name is Still Magic"
"The Tallest Pine is Gone"
"Keeping America Free"
"Remembering"
"Christians vs Muslims"
"Bush Bucks Bashing"
"Early Look at 2008"
"Contrasting Memories"
"Reporter's Rough Roads"
"Another Cowboys Loss"
"People, Places and Things"
"Super Bowl Wasn't So Super"
"State of the Union"
"Is God Dead in Europe?"
"Remembering Dr. King"
"This Week in Review"
"New Year, New Challenges"
"The Party's Over"
"Democracy in the Middle East"
"Unfinished Business"
"Merry
Christmas Rules"
"Bush
Unveils Plans"
"Today is Special"
"Border
Security Now!!!"
"Stupidity Loses Financing"
"Crisis Christians"
"They
Led the Way"
"Sadistic Saddam Hussein"
"Bourbon Street Bashing"
"Hurricane Aftermath"
"Standing Tall"
"Never a Dull Moment"
"Another Hero Laid to Rest"
"Blame Game"
"Senior Thoughts For the Young"
"Role Model Challenge"
August 18 - "Network News Anchors"
August 11 - "Now All Three Are Gone"
August 4 - "Trust in the Media"
July 28 - "Television Then and Now"
July 21 - "The Mick"
July 14 - "Forty Years and Counting"
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