Copyright 2004 Ben S. Pollock
Friday, November 5, 2004: I don’t know my precise opinion on the presidential election today, except that we who think we are smart better think again. I resent those commentators who blame Kerry: no personality, poor campaigner, bad presentation, because, well, none of this is true enough to have cost him the election.
At some point years ago — at age 47 (tomorrow) "years ago" and "not the other day" must be more persuasive — I more fully realized people were different and still could be effective in their field.
Huh? Musicians and writers are not of a type, either wild or reclusive, petty or generous. Once I understood this (lesson realized when I was in the Stanford Band, 1977-80), I appreciated people more and relaxed some about first and succeeding impressions.
Even if you’re young, in your lifetime you can recall presidents of wildly different skills, which did not consistently relate to the success of their campaign or presidency. Charisma in Nixon, no. Exuberancy in Carter; no, he was reflective. Common man was Bush I; no, he was patrician and graciously so.
In these days of primary selection, any candidate who strong enough to become his party’s nominee, or running mate, and make it to November with decent poll numbers probably will be at least an adequate president.
The point is more that George II won, not that Kerry lost. Actually, it was the entire Democratic Party that lost. This point and the first point about personalities will not be belabored here.
Now is a time for tolerance. When one is fairly religious, you by definition have to think well of your faith and that of others is lacking. Goes with that territory.
I can, and am, annoyed by a lot of the so-called Christian Right — until I recall certain remarkable Christians I either know or have studied. There are righteous Christians, just like righteous Muslims or Jews, whose faith supports their loving acts and wisdom.
We need a lot more of them.
Besides that, people in our families or our neighborhoods voted for George II. It surpasses understanding perhaps, but there you go.
I for one am very close to sick of reading analyses that miss usually by a lot, what’s going on, and I am happy to wait days or months until I can figure it out. Yes, I’ll be helped by the thoughts of others; I won’t be terribly original. That’s OK. -30-
