Empty words with empty conviction

In watching the news, the heart of the matter in this election was suddenly made clear to me as John McCain was shown being escorted around a car plant in Michigan.

The people walking with him were all "suits," no working people, no people whose livelihood was on the line, no people who were struggling to save a home from foreclosure, no people who were facing the loss of their medical benefits, no people who's lives will be changed forever when that car plant shuts down.

Then the news showed McCain speaking about the strength of the American worker, words said without vigor, without conviction.

The strange thing was the factory was shut down so his words echoed hollowly, re-enforcing the hollowness of his message. Words just being said because someone in his campaign said this will help with the voters in Michigan.

No meaning, no compassion, no working Americans.

This brave old man whose has obviously lost a step or two and is just reading what has been given him and doing what he is told to do needs to retire with pride and dignity for his service to our country, but as a senator not as president.

At this time of deepening crisis in our economy and growing dangers in as unsettled world, it is not acceptable to just muddle on.

We are better than that. We are Americans. We can be that "shining beacon on the hill" that the world respects and is willing to follow.

As I watched McCain struggle with the words, clearly not understanding the meaning, I knew we could not have him as president.

The heart of the matter is that leadership requires energy and vigor, the ability to listen and understand, the ability to grow into a person bigger than yourself, not just reflect the shadow of what was, not just lip sync words handed out by the speech writers, not just saying empty words in an empty plant to empty "suits."

Stephen J. Harshman

Schaumburg