Mama's House

Austin asked me recently if I would vote for Sen. Obama if he were a Republican. Same views, same everything, just a different political affiliation; my political affiliation. I told him that under those circumstances I would still not vote for Sen. Obama. Anyway, I was reminded of that conversation when I ran into the following.

In a forum on public service on campus earlier this month, Mr. Obama (Columbia '83) and John McCain (Annapolis '58) were both asked about the ROTC ban. When Mr. McCain predictably called on Columbia to "re-examine" the ban, he was predictably booed by a crowd of several thousand students who were watching the debate on a giant TV screen on campus.

The question was later put to Mr. Obama. "I think we've made a mistake on that," Mr. Obama replied. "I recognize that there are students here who have differences in terms of military policy, but the notion that young people here at Columbia aren't offered a choice or an option in participating in military service is a mistake." The same students who had so lustily booed Mr. McCain, reported the New York Times, were "largely silent" when Mr. Obama gave the same answer.

I would like to add that this Republican would have applauded both of the candidates' answers.