Published: May 16, 2008 10:15 pm         

Presidential candidates want to change politics

In some respects, the probable presidential nominees are polar opposites.

Barack Obama at 47 is a young (at least to those of us with AARP cards) black man, while John McCain, whose complexion reflects his Scots-Irish ancestry, at 71 qualifies as a senior citizen.

With the ongoing primary battle between Obama and Hillary Clinton, McCain has largely disappeared from the daily media reports. In fact, a recent cartoon appearing on The News’ editorial page asked for a refresher on McCain’s identity.



But the likely Republican nominee is resurfacing, including making a speech this week in Columbus, Ohio, the state’s capital city and an expected general election battleground.

McCain outlined a governing style that suggests he may be looking to smooth over some rough edges and seek bipartisanship from Congress.

“I’m not interested in partisanship that serves no other purpose than to gain a temporary advantage over our opponents. This mindless, paralyzing rancor must come to an end. We belong to different parties, not different countries,” McCain said.

He has rankled some Republicans by working with Democrats on legislative initiatives, but he has also engaged in obvious partisan practices. It remains to be seen whether he is turning over a completely new leaf or merely positioning himself for the general election.



But Obama as the self-described “change” candidate and now McCain’s call for a kinder, gentler political process suggest that Americans are ready for a new method of operation. The candidates are united in their opposition to the old business-as-usual legislative practices.

There is no doubt that fur will fly this fall, and there will be many attempts to discredit the other candidate by many different tactics. Their differences will be highlighted, and votes may be split between the young and old and black and white.

But each will attempt to convince voters that they will be the engine for change and will usher America into a new era. This contest should prove to be very interesting.