I read that Barack Obama is elitist because he can put one sentence in front of another, eats arugula, is admired in Europe and Asia, and is a passionate speaker. He is married to the same woman for 15 years and has two adorable daughters. After graduating from Harvard law school and editing the prestigious Harvard Law Review and turning down jobs from high-paying law firms, committed his life to public service and worked in community organizing for the less fortunate. He then ran for public office and the rest is history.

Is this not as patriotic as fighting in Vietnam like Sen. McCain? And Sen. McCain questions Barack Obama’s patriotism because he voted against the war in Iraq or doesn’t wear a flag pin. As a veteran of the Vietnamese conflict, I do not feel that I am more patriotic than Barack Obama or than those conscientious objectors who stood up for their beliefs such as friends of mine from college, Tom Hayden, William Ayers or the score of sincere patriots who thought that the war was immoral. We are all patriots in standing up for our beliefs. I am also vehemently against the costly debacle in Iraq for what it has cost this country and the host country in blood, money and standing in the world.

And I read that John McCain is a regular guy. He survived huge travails in the POW camp in Hanoi and refused early release. This was heroic and will never be forgotten. This is not an example of a regular guy. He was one of many who showed heroism in such difficult circumstances; over 500 POWs. He was from a military heritage. His grandfather and father were admirals in the U.S. Navy. Obviously, he lived a privileged life and attended the Naval Academy. Because of whatever, lack of focus or seriousness, he finished close to the bottom of his class. Yet, he entered flight school which is generally reserved for the top of the class. Remind you of how President Bush skipped to the head of the line and received an appointment to the National Guard? Is it a regular guy who, while still married to the mother of his children, has an affair with a wealthy debutante who is many years younger and soon marries this heiress to a beer distributorship fortune. Is it a regular guy who, as part of the Keating Five, attempts to influence federal regulators in support of a campaign contributor? Is it a regular guy who has changed his positions on offshore drilling, campaign finance reform and a variety of other issues? Is it a regular guy who doesn’t know how many homes he owns? Is it a regular guy who has a campaign totally run by lobbyists?

Please, give me a guy who was raised by a single mother and grandparents and lived in Indonesia, Hawaii, etc., and had the good judgment to speak out against the disaster in Iraq. Give me a guy who is for national health care and not privatizing Social Security. Give me a guy who shoots three pointers while visiting the guys in Iraq.

Render Denson

Coupeville