http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/10/26/opinion/gazette/20-gazetteopinion.txtGazette Opinion: Obama would be the president America needs now
By The Gazette Staff
A year ago, few people would have predicted that Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama would be their parties' nominees for president. A few months ago, when their party selections were assured, there was reason to hope that the general election campaign would be conducted on a higher level of debate than has marked recent presidential contests. So it has been a disappointment that much of McCain's campaign has focused on smearing Obama.
Enormous obstacles
McCain, who has served in the U.S. Senate many more years, reasonably called attention to the first-term Democrat's shorter tenure. Yet McCain selected a running mate who had been governor of Alaska for only two years. As troubling as Sarah Palin's lack of knowledge on national and foreign issues is her role in making the campaign rhetoric uglier and more divisive. The Palin pick was a mistake.
Like McCain, Sen. Joe Biden has a long track record in Congress and great depth of knowledge in international policy. He is a much stronger VP candidate than Palin.
Regardless of whether McCain or Obama is elected, the new president will face enormous obstacles in putting this nation on a path to prosperity that all citizens can share. Major tax policy changes should be delayed until there is substantially greater stability in the U.S. economy. The new president will have to surround himself with smart advisers and break the partisan gridlock that has paralyzed Washington, D.C. If Obama wins the White House and Democrats control both chambers of Congress, he must stand up to his own party members if they try to block reforms, refuse necessary spending restraints or bog down his proposals.
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