The criteria for the presidential election

In the election, it is important to forget what we learned in kindergarden. As children we choose our friends for our teams. As adults, that is called cronyism, and is frowned upon. Now the Democratic and Republican candidates all seem to be personally admirable:

• Obama appears to be a good family man who has worked hard all his life and succeeded admirably,
• McCain has served his country for decades, often in the most severe conditions, and ascribes to the code of duty, honor, country,
• Biden too appears to be a good family man who has overcome great hardships and returned to the service of his country.
• Palin, the mother of five, appears to be committed to her religion, her family, her community and has also succeeded admirably in her life.

The question is not which of these people we most like, but who should we vote for thinking of the needs of the nation. As I have written before, that is a question of which administration would best lead the nation, working most effectively to resolve our current problems and to set the basis for future challenges and opportunities. Of course the character, temperament and ideology of the candidates matter, as do their understanding of the world and ability to master new information and rise to new challenges. I would give more weight to leadership, the ability to mobilize their own party and to collaborate with the other party, and to the demonstrated strengths of the party the candidate represents.