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DISCLAIMER: I enjoy political debate. A lot. Have since I was in 6th grade (I was an odd kid.) So if some of the things I say seem harsh, it's not about you as a person; it's about the issues I'm addressing. When I feel strongly about something, my writing gets a few barbs thrown into it. Sorry. Also, on a side note, I was not always decisively an Obama fan. I didn't vote in the primaries because I couldn't decide who I liked. At first I was worried that he was jumping into the presidency too quickly. But he proved himself and gained my whole-hearted support. Anyways, here goes nothing...
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Well, let me start off with this. I think John McCain is a very good man. He's really intelligent and his concession speech was very gracious and honorable. My step-grandfather served under his father in the navy. He's met John McCain himself a few times and really respects him. I remember when he was running against George Bush in 2000 and that many people thought of him as "moderate". Being liberal, I liked that about him. My original impression of him is that rather than making choices by the Republican book, he really contemplates them and makes his own decisions. I really respect that. That's what being a real politician is about. If we are to compare, bottom line, I respect John McCain much more than I will ever respect George W. Bush. That being said, I think Mr. McCain succumbed to the right-wing Republican political machine this time around. He really started to lose my respect as the campaign progressed. I could give many examples, but I won't. Mainly the fact that he did nothing to silence those dangerous outbursts during his speeches (the chants of "Kill him!" and "Terrorist!" in regards to Obama) and that he nominated Sarah Palin as VP. I think the reason I respected McCain's concession speech so much is that it seemed that the true nature of McCain had returned. He silenced the boos and was very tactful. I wish those qualities had been more present throughout his campaign.

Yes, if John McCain had won, I'm sure many people (the same folks who bashed Bush) would not have been too happy. I think you're right. And I think that's usually how it works in this country. People get upset when their "team" loses. As a side note, I think making blanket statements involving the entirety of party followers is really short-sighted and dangerous. Yes, I understand sometimes they are used in order to be "realistic" but it can also be narrow-minded. But anyway, thinking back to when Bush was re-elected (and I would imagine the reaction was harsher in that case than it would have been with McCain) people were upset, scared, and in disbelief. However, the reactions I heard--I'm talking about the intelligent, seemingly founded ones, not the extremist left non-sense--were MUCH more logical than some of the ridiculous reactions I'm hearing now. Obviously, this is not everyone. However, I am just very surprised at the number of these types of reactions I'm seeing and hearing from intelligent, well-informed people--not Neo-Conservatives. It's been a far greater number than I would have expected. In that way, I had more faith in Americans in general than I now suppose was right to have. I've heard so many people wailing about socialism and communism as if Obama's presidency threatens to bring us into the deep reccesses of these political theories gone wrong. In my book, what's wrong with socialism is that, because it works contrary to human nature, it usually ends up badly--dictorship, or how it's evolved in China, for example. To say that Obama would bring about something like this seems ludicrous. It's fear-mongering, but they're a few days too late.

I guess what I'm saying is that yes, McCain supporters have every reason to be upset that he didn't win. And yes, you also have every reason to be wary of a man who you didn't support. I would have had the same reaction if McCain had been elected. I'm not complaining about those who are simply upset at the outcome of the election. Where the problem lies, I believe, is within those utterly baseless and in effect, dangerous, statements about Obama. Not to say that you personally agree with them, I'm just speaking generally. To be honest, I worry he'll be assassinated. I didn't have that worry when it came to Bush and I wouldn't have that worry in regards to McCain. So, to me, it's not about giving Obama a chance, it's about discrediting those whose reactions to his election are potentially dangerous. They're all too rampant, and the more negativity thrown into the mix, the greater the risk will be.

Allie