Famous Last Words
Politico on Reaganite defector Ken Adelman’s Obama endorsement. His moonshot hope is that the wealth-sharing condition-free surrender enthusiast will become more Clintonian:
Ken Adelman, a top Pentagon aide under Reagan, tells George Packer why he’s supporting a Democrat for the first time in his life.
Notably, Adelman cites similar reasons as Powell laid out.
There are two things at work here, I believe. First, the Bush years have left both disillusioned, especially over the Iraq war. And, second, Powell and Adelman echo the views of some conservative intellectuals, such as Peggy Noonan. They were and are simply aghast at the selection of Sarah Palin, and believe it was and irresponsible move on the part of an otherwise serious person. McCain has dismissed this view as one that exists among the “Georgetown cocktail party” circuit.
Sayeth Adelman:
Primarily for two reasons, those of temperament and of judgment.
When the economic crisis broke, I found John McCain bouncing all over the place. In those first few crisis days, he was impetuous, inconsistent, and imprudent; ending up just plain weird. Having worked with Ronald Reagan for seven years, and been with him in his critical three summits with Gorbachev, I’ve concluded that that’s no way a president can act under pressure.
Second is judgment. The most important decision John McCain made in his long campaign was deciding on a running mate.
That decision showed appalling lack of judgment. Not only is Sarah Palin not close to being acceptable in high office—I would not have hired her for even a mid-level post in the arms-control agency. But that selection contradicted McCain’s main two, and best two, themes for his campaign—Country First, and experience counts. Neither can he credibly claim, post-Palin pick.
OK, blah blah blah. I wasn’t aware any mid-level policy wonks were up for consideration. So did he scribble that on a Georgetown cocktail party napkin or didn’t he? This part, where Adelman plants his own petard, suggests he might have had a few:
I sure hope Obama is more open, centrist, sensible—dare I say, Clintonesque—than his liberal record indicates, than his cooperation with Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid portends. If not, I will be even more startled by my vote than I am now.
Startlement pending. At least he’s setting his expectations low.
Topics: pols
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 9:33 pm Comments (2) on Monday, October 20, 2008
2 Responses to “Famous Last Words”
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October 21st, 2008 at 6:46 am
Neocons for Obama?
Adelman’s no neocon in my book.
October 21st, 2008 at 9:22 am
Even Clinton didn’t become truly “Clintonesque” until after there was a Republican majority in Congress.