I have an entirely different, and major, problem with McCain – IMO his temperment is such that he should not be trusted with Presidential power. This has nothing to do with issues.
McCain is so scary that I’d vote for Hillary over him, and maybe even for Obama over him. McCain is flat out dangerous.
Romney listens. Hillary listens. Obama listens. McCain does not listen.
Romney, Hillary and Obama all think before they act. McCain often doesn’t, even on big issues.
Worse, McCain acts as though evidence which contradicts his preconceptions are his personal enemies.
I’m not the only person to notice this. Paul Mirengoff at Powerline said:
“McCain’s tendency to make snap judgments based on prejudice rather than information, and his hostility to information that doesn’t conform to his prejudices, is perhaps the most frightening aspect of his candidacy.”
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives2/2008/01/019684.php
“… John McCain rarely lets lack of information and expertise stand in his way. Iraq, of course, is a notable exception. McCain frequently visited Iraq and consulted with everyone he could. For this, and because he found the right answer, he deserves the great credit he claims.
But what about McCain’s other positions? He opposes drilling in ANWR because, in his words, the area is “pristine” (which in this case means barren) and he “wouldn’t drill in the Grand Canyon.” Has any candidate ever presented a less serious analysis of an important policy question?
He opposes waterboarding in part because “torture doesn’t work.” Maybe the things the North Vietnamese did to him at the Hanoi Hilton didn’t work, but we know from eye-witness accounts that waterboarding worked. When I asked McCain about this, he essentially accused the CIA of lying.
McCain’s tendency to make snap judgments based on prejudice rather than information, and his hostility to information that doesn’t conform to his prejudices, is perhaps the most frightening aspect of his candidacy. It is also the most stark difference between McCain and Romney, outstripping any substantive disagreements in my view.
Neither the Romney’s style — “wallowing in the data” — nor McCain’s snap judgment style is ideal for a president. Great presidents rely at times on instinct and core beliefs, not just data. But a president who consistently relies on instinct and pooh-poohs data is likely to make major mistakes. Unless one thinks McCain is a genius (and I don’t), we’d probably be better off with Romney’s approach to making decisions ….”
