The Russia-Georgia Impact on the Presidential Election

I wonder how these events will influence the Presidential election? Barack Obama will likely take a much different approach to the escalating situation there than McCain would.

Sen. McCain will likely focus on the patriotic aspect. Georgia was one of the nations that came to Iraq/Afghanistan the most (2nd behind the UK), and have been pushing to get into NATO for years now. McCain should focus on the fact that our allies need us against the tyrannical Russia, and that no cost should be too great. Of course, McCain won't explain to you that while the deaths occuring in Georgia are really very terrible, it is nothing compared to the carnage that will ensue when the United States starts pissing where Russia eats. This will play really nicely in this whole perceived Democrat loser Congress, that Democrats just don't care about America OR its allies!

Obama will most likely miss the mark as well, as it seems he too is fond of doing whatever might best suit his goals. I'm waiting for the day when he does or says something "off the cuff" just to show us that he is, in fact, not to politics what the New Kids on the Block were to music in the 80's. Obama would likely use diplomatic measures to attempt to bring resolution to the matter.

Neither of them should ever get us involved with Russia if we are already fighting two other wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Georgia borders Turkey, which borders Iraq, which borders Iran, and so on and so forth. This is how WWI started, you know. One country gets into it with another, then another pair of nations start fighting. Inevitably someone's ally invades someone's ally and there are no good solutions left. So, you go to war.

I'm not in the business of painting pretty pictures, but it's a very real possibility. We have nuclear nations and would-be nuclear nations making statements and taking lives in the process. We have a US reputation to uphold and protect at a time where it is perhaps the most important, and our hands are tied. We are going to lose a lot of influence in that region, if we had any in the first place. Worst of all, Georgia is a pawn in this chess match!

The situation probably favors McCain at least somewhat. The polls have generally shown that Americans trust McCain more to handle a crisis.

I don't think that McCain really needs to explain the stakes. Probably 80% of this country was alive to remember the Cold War. They know what can happen. But its that same memory that will also lead the general public to more closely scrutinize the Russians than they otherwise might, and why a harsh tone will probably play well in this case, particularly once the public realizes the role Georgia played in Iraq.

That's not to say that the public will support WW3, but merely that they will not want a leader that appears weak on the issue or one that leaves our allies hanging out to dry. McCain needs to be careful of going too far, but in general, I think a harsh, tough tone will be a winner here.

In the end, I think its largely academic and is little more than a political football in this campaign. One way or another, this issue will very likely be settled well before the next president takes office.



[edit on 11-8-2008 by vor78]

Originally posted by vor78
The situation probably favors McCain at least somewhat. The polls have generally shown that Americans trust McCain more to handle a crisis.

[edit on 11-8-2008 by vor78]

Its funny. There was an article on Yahoo I believe (will try and find it) that said bush and obama initially didn't support McCains opinions and stance on the subject. Both Obama and Bush are now starting to support what McCain wants to do about the situation. It sheds a lot of light on how experience makes a world of difference in a leader.

I WILL find the link and WILL post it here when I do.

Hard to tell.

Could go back to 2004 where John Kerry couldnt beat the most unpopular president - ever - in the election - because people felt safer with Bush in times of war.


Maybe this conflict has US hands in it to throw another election if favor of the conservative party?

So it could favor mccain



then again - people could be sick of war, and willing ot listen to what Obama has to say about Diplomacy > War.

The pen is mightier than the sword - sort of thing.

So it could favor Obama too

[edit on 8/11/2008 by Andrew E. Wiggin]

The events in Georgia have swung me back to most likely voting for McCain. I had become undecided due to his choices in economy advisors, but this change in geo-political climate definately swings me back toward McCain. It's pretty simple really. We have a choice between an old war horse who spent all of his youth and much of his adulthood training to deal with a Russian threat, and a young, charismatic, idealistic junior Democratic Senator who's never been anything but a politician/lawyer. The last young, charismatic, idealistic, junior Democratic Senator that we elected at least knew what it was like to be under fire and see friends die. Obama definately fails the foxhole test because I know so little about him, and his character under stress, I'm no longer even willing to entertain the idea of voting for him at all. (Hillary, by comparison, despite her gender, scores much better than Obama in my mind on that test. Her drive, ruthlessness, and general bitchiness give her a mcuh higher score and would probably pass my foxhole test, and would definately pass if a penis were added, despite her politics).

[edit on 11-8-2008 by jefwane]