The Conservative Cat

Conservatives are constantly playing a game called Can You Imagine If. Here's an example.

On the campaign trail, Obama told an enthusiastic audience that he hoped to be "an instrument of God." Fine and dandy. So should we all. But can you imagine if a conservative Republican had said that? Can you hear the cries of "Theocracy!"? There are different rules for different parties.

The truth here is that there's no reason to worry about an Obama theocracy, because everybody knows he has the correct feelings about the role of the church. That's a big difference between him and, say, Ann Coulter, who not only practices Christianity, but believes other people should practice it, too.

Similarly, Bill Clinton did nothing wrong when he lied under oath, but Scooter Libby deserves to be in jail.

Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, a Democratic presidential candidate, said in a statement that the commutation of Mr. Libby’s sentence “cements the legacy of an administration characterized by a politics of cynicism and division, one that has consistently placed itself and its ideology above the law.”

You'll note the important factor here are the emotions of cynicism and division. You can search for hours without finding an exact description of Libby's crime, but the Bush Administration's dark intent is always front and center.

And this is why Barack Obama is above criticism. Hear the words of actor Robert Redford.

I think Obama is not tall on experience . . . but I believe he's a really good person. He's smart. And he does represent what the country needs most now, which is change.

It goes on and on like that. Obama's got the right feelings, folks. No matter what he does, what he says, or how it turns out, his heart's in the correct place, and that's what matters most. That's why Wesley Clark derides McCain's military service, but praises Obama's judgement. Conversely, if you're not seeing Obama's superior qualifications for the Presidency, the only possible explanation is that a bad emotion is clouding your vision, such as racism or resentment.

It's hard to break the grip of emotions. Emotions have been controlling mammals for 200 million years, but humans have been using their reasoning ability for only 200 thousand years. You can't really blame people for using the old reliable part of the brain while evolution is still working out the kinks in the new section.

So the next time you start arguing the Obama Question with a liberal friend-- or any other issue, for that matter-- remember that you're not just dealing with a different set of assumptions, you're dealing with a whole different concept of right and wrong. Until you address that difference directly, you're doomed right out of the starting gate.

Trust me. I have a really strong feeling about this.

Respectfully submitted,

Ferdinand T. Cat