I asked my son, a 30 odd year history major teaching in Venezuela, what he thought of John McCain being that I remembered he had expressed interest in JM's candidacy.

This is what he said, "8 years ago I was actually quite fond of him as a candidate. I still think he's more honest than the average politician, and I do admire how he takes important stands on some unpopular issues in which I strongly agree with him (immigration, challenging earmarks, working with Democrats when Republicans controlled everything, etc.)

However, I feel he has pandered too much to the right wing nut jobs this election, he's backed off of fiscal responsibility vis a vis Bush's tax cuts, and, of course, his Iraq war position (though I do believe in his heart he means well) is intolerable - I believe the ghosts of his Vietnam war days are clouding his judgement. So, while I believe he would have been a much better president than Bush if he was elected in 2000, I feel his time is passed and Obama is the go to guy. And you?
"
I answered, "Yes;" but that I wished Obama would clarify what he meant by increasing the public's participation in government. Please see my blog on publicly-defined plebiscites.