Super Tuesday’s presidential preference primary — of which Missouri is a key player by virtue of being a swing- vote state come the actual election of a new president in November — is just around the corner and everyone from party faithful to political pundits to unaffiliated voters are looking closely at the viability of the candidates.
And Super Tuesday deserves that kind of attention. More delegates to national conventions are at stake than on any other day during the pre-presidential election cycle. Indeed, more than 50 percent of Democratic delegates will be selected by statewide elections or caucuses for the party’s national convention. Republicans will choose 42 percent of their delegates on that day.
The Joplin Globe’s editorial board is recommending that Democrats select Sen. Barack Obama and Republicans cast their ballots for Sen. John McCain.
McCain, a former prisoner of war in Vietnam, is the only candidate with a consistent record and credibility on the war in Iraq. Although considered a maverick, he appears to be a unifier rather than a divider. He also has shown that he isn’t afraid to take stands based on his beliefs in what is best and right. He is an independent thinker, although his views resonate well with the public.
Obama, who appears to be the Democratic front-runner, effuses confidence and sounds more moderate than challenger Hillary Clinton, the former first lady.
Perhaps the greatest appeal of the senator from Illinois, other than a charismatic personality and sincerity in espousing his views, could be that he is being labeled the candidate of change. His Capra-esque campaign promotes the ideas of change and hope from a grass-roots base. His is a fresh political voice. Obama’s lack of experience could offer new thinking and might provide the leadership to bridge partisanship.
The Democratic race has come down to Obama and Clinton, while the GOP is still trying to decide between McCain, Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, and Mike Huckabee, former governor of Arkansas. Super Tuesday is all about change, making moves in the polls as political fortunes rise or fall. Come next Wednesday, the field could be narrowed even further.
Opinion
In Our View: McCain, Obama our choices
- Opinion
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Our View: Victims should come first
Millions of dollars in donations have poured in from around the world since the May 22, 2011, tornado. Those donations represent money from lemonade stands, charity auctions, corporate gifts and celebrity checks, just to name a few. In fact, one year later donations continue to come to Joplin.
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Beth Meeker, guest columnist: Same-sex marriage battle a quest for equal rights
I would like to take a moment to reply to guest columnist Anson Burlingame’s, “The Marriage Debate” (Globe, May 13).
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Sunday Forum: 2012 graduation speakers key on tornado, mall school and president’s visit
Editor’s note: In addition to speeches by President Barack Obama and Gov. Jay Nixon, Joplin High School’s top students addressed graduates, faculty, parents and other guests packed into the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center on the Missouri Southern State University campus. Following are the text of those speeches.
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Geoff Caldwell, guest columnist: Pack mentality takes truth as a casualty
President Obama’s Joplin graduation speech Monday showed that while there’s the political “right,” there’s also a very active “rabid” political right.
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Your View: ‘Study’ can mean anything
A few evenings ago, I watched a television program on the science of marriage.
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Our View: Support for museum
How can you tell the story of Joplin without the accounts of its mining history?
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Our View: Finding middle ground
The G-8 summit held last week in Camp David ended as expected.
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Anson Burlingame, guest columnist: Class of 2012 upholds character, hope
My oldest granddaughter was part of the class of 2012 from Joplin High School, and I attended the ceremony on Monday night.
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Scott Charton, guest columnist: 'Deadline in Disaster' film a story about storytellers
Local newspapers are at their best when they help their communities confront, understand, endure and overcome shared challenges.
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Our View: Make voting easiser
This year’s ballot will not include a proposed constitutional amendment that photo identification be required at the polls in Missouri. Good.
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Our View: Victims should come first
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