But it also makes the case that McCain's temperament is better suited to the presidency, which is an interesting one. I don't dispute its assumptions, or even its arguments to a degree, but I do dispute its conclusions. McCain's temperament manifests itself in flying off the handle whenever something goes wrong. It leads to brash and unnecessary consequences that just make the overall situation worse. See: Sarah Palin. While a "fighter" (more specifically, in FDR's parlance, a "happy warrior") is something the American people want in a leader, McCain doesn't come across a happy anything, and rather than harnessing his anger he allows it to diffuse indifferently. He presents the appearance of a man who is not entirely in control of his emotions, which is most assuredly not a good thing. And I'm not sure in what universe the authors of this piece are living when they tick off this list of positive attributes about McCain:
zeal, decisiveness, perseverance, a certainty of opinion on fundamental matters of right and wrong and on our core national values
I'll give you zeal, and I'll give you the certainty, but perseverance from a guy who has changed his positions so many times? Decisiveness from a man who keeps sinking time and resources into states he can't win, like Iowa. And I, like most Americans, believe Obama better embodies our core values than McCain. But then again, I like a man who is confident and self-assured enough not to throw a tantrum every time something bad happens. But I'm a Bay Area Liberal, so what do I know?
