Because the Obama campaign has been ineffectual [thus far] in attacking McCain (the "he's just like Bush" meme simply isnt working), the public has settled into a comfort zone with the belief that Grampy Old Fart is the safe hand on the tiller, with the sage wisdom of experience to answer that 3:00AM phone call as President.
The call, it is assumed, must inevitably relate to some sudden diplomatic or military crisis in the world; "Russia Conquers Georgia, Cuts Off Winter Gas to Europe", "Pakistan's Nukes Stolen by Islamic Radicals", "China Blockades Straits of Hormuz", that sort of thing. Yet, in the modern world, Presidents are not caught 'off guard' by such things; they know its coming, even if they ignore the warnings.
Pres. Bush Sr. knew that Saddam Hussein would invade Kuwait. Bush Jr. knew that Bin Laden would attack the U.S., and he knew, from the Ruth Report, sitting on a bookshelf in the West Wing, that a Hurricane like Katrina would do to New Orleans exactly what it eventually did.
But what about the truly remarkable, existential threats that demand more than harsh diplomacy? Some of these will certainly confront the next President, as well...
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