[Sangetsu]

McCain has not always been a party man. You might remember McCain/Feingold, or the McCain/Kennedy bills that were debated not too long ago. McCain votes in what he believes in, which is sometimes contrary to the wishes of his party.

McCain was a soldier for 22 years, and has been a senator since then. He's spent more time in government that Biden and Obama combined, and much of it was in quite unpleasant circumstances. McCain has had a courageous career. Obama can speak courageously, but he has yet to prove that he can act the same way.

Obama was a "community organizer", and Palin was right in saying that it was a position which required no responsibility. A cheap shot, maybe, but not an inaccurate one. The statements Obama made about Americans "clinging to their religion and guns" did happen, and guess what? They are coming back to sting him.

That said, I very much dislike McCain, I always have. On the other hand, I dislike Obama far more. I've been suspicious of him since he was recruited for the senate, when the rumors were first spread that he would one day become president.

Obama is not his own man. Almost all politicians have leash holders, and the few that remain hold the leashes of others. Obama is one of the former, and McCain is one of the latter. Obama's rise has been carefully engineered; Obama is intelligent, but not on this great a scale. Obama's policies will have nothing to do with his personal beliefs or ideals, he will do what he is told by those who carried him to where he is now.

It's not as sinister as it sounds, all politicians have made deals with the devil in one way or the other. McCain is one of the devils, but at least he and his actions are visible to us all. No one pulls his strings.

I can only choose between the lesser of two evils, and McCain is that choice. I was going to sit this election out, and I would have if McCain had picked one of the numerous Republican automatons as his vp. I'm amused with his choice of Palin, and shock and outrage which this has has caused the media (who are far and away the biggest string-pullers and story spinners of this election).

I only requested an absentee ballot so I could vote against Mel Martinez (the Republican US senator from Florida, whom I truly dislike), but I'll add my vote for McCain and Palin to the ballot.