Leadership vs Policy

By Jake Imber

A constant confusion of mine has been this focus on "The Ability to Lead" in our presidential elections. I hear McCain and Palin scream it from the pulpit - "I have executive experience! I have been a P.O.W.! I can LEAD!" In fact, it seems like the foundation of their presidential campaign. We can lead, our opponent cannot.

This unrelenting hammering of leadership seems entirely inane. In this day and age, anyone who ascends to the presidential ticket has the ability to inspire, fund-raise, make decisions, cooperate, and evaluate - in essence, to lead. As much as I hate to admit it - Bush has "led" us for the last 8 years. Like it or not, the country has followed his leadership.

What needs to be discussed is WHERE a candidate will lead us as a nation. What are the policies which will define the presidency? What are the key issues that will drive the nation? What matters to the presidential candidate?

I read many pundits poking fun at Obama's "Laundry List of Policies" during his acceptance speech at the DNC. To me, this was the most valuable part of his speech, even if it was not the most compelling to listen to. Hearing him expound on his key policy issues gave me a real sense of who he is and where he would like to lead us. What I am waiting for is to see McCain do the same. What will he do, besides maybe bomb Iran?

I don't know about you, but I eagerly await the debates. I only hope that we can move past the question of whether someone can lead and move towards the question of where the country will be led.