At this point, I don’t know whether I’ll vote for McCain or Obama. It’s a win-win thing for me. I like McCain a lot, but when it comes to issues I care most about–Iraq, health care, climate change, energy independence–he would probably be a status quo president. Whereas Obama would advance those causes.

But I could still easily vote for McCain.

Yet…I’m still rooting for Obama. I want him to make wise choices. And that makes me greatly concerned about who he’ll pick for a running mate.

Please, please–don’t pick Hillary. Because then all we’ll be talking about is Bill. I know it seems politically smart to pick her, like Kennedy picked Johnson. But don’t. Just don’t. You’ll regret it. She wants it, but don’t give in.

The list of VP alternatives is long and distinguished. I would be much more likely to vote for Obama if he picked:

• Joe Biden. I really like Biden, and he’s got big foreign policy experience. If he picks Biden, then I’m probably aboard.
• Bill Richardson (though he should be Secretary of State).
• Jim Webb (maybe).
• Evan Bayh (a bit more qualified than Hoosier Dan Quayle was).

Every week, often several times a week, we learn of additional ways the Bush Administration has abused its power or displayed incompetence. I just now read about efforts to squelch scientific evidence about climate change (old news, actually), which is why, in this absolutely crucial time for the world, we’ve gone eight years with zero leadership from the US in combating global warming. Absolutely outrageous.

Scott McClellan’s allegatons are exactly what I suspected was true of the Bush Administration. A weak, out of touch President surrounded by strong-willed ideologues. Eight years, and they’ve accomplished virtually nothing positive.

I realize that when I criticize Bush, people think I’m being unpatriotic. That a person who truly loves the USA will support its President. (Why don’t we talk about supporting Congress, which the Founders created as an equal entity?)

It’s because I’m patriotic that I’m angered by what George Bush has done to my country. I love this country, always have. To see one man ascend to the presidency, surround himself with ideologues, drag us into a voluntary war, scorch our reputation in the world, thumb his nose at Congressional oversight, trample on civil rights, govern in a flagrantly divisive way…on and on…well, this rightly upsets me. And it should upset you.

I wouldn’t stand idly by as a new pastor shattered my church’s ministry and our reputation in the neighborhood. Nor will I stand in line and salute when George Bush does that to my country. Why is this so hard to understand?