A leader takes a stand. When he sees a problem, he calls it as he sees it. It may not win him more friends. It may not be the smartest political move, but it is the measure of a good leader. And, in the end, the leader who is willing to take a stand based on principle earns respect.
John McCain has shown leadership time and time again throughout his career and he has shown it on the campaign trail:
This was evident in the conversation that was revisited and then revisited again and again regarding Senator McCain’s request to the North Carolina GOP to not run an Obama attack ad based on Obama’s longstanding relationship with controversial minister Jeremiah Wright.
Compare McCain’s willingness to speak up to Barack Obama’s silence in the face of the anti-Semitic attacks being launched against another member of Congress:
Yet, for all [of Barack Obama’s] moralizing on the subject [of race], why is it that Obama is staying silent as members of his own party — not to mention his own race — in Tennessee use racial slurs to attack another member of his own party? And why is it that the national media has ignored this story? Perhaps its because the candidate being attacked, Tennessee Congressman Steve Cohen, is not black but is Jewish? And perhaps its because his attackers are members of Tennessee’s black religious community? And perhaps it is because the Congressional Black Caucus is funding Cohen’s Democratic opponent, Nikki Tinker? And perhaps it is because Tinker is benefiting from this anti-Semitic attack against Cohen?
Obama may be a great orator. His campaign may have brilliantly marketed him as the catalyst for change. However, when given the opportunity to lead and speak up against politics of hate, Obama has already failed miserably. Change can only occur by electing a strong leader. Barack Obama is clearly demonstrting that he is not that leader.
UPDATE: It took a little while, but Senator Obama finally responded to the outrage.