The Influence of Those We Surround Ourselves With

 After last night's debate, I find myself pondering the call by Barack Obama to debate the issues, and not level personal attacks against the opponent.  There was a time when I might have agreed, but I think that was a mistake.  I'm not saying that people should be about muckraking.  I don't think there is much benefit to discovering that a candidate, 30 or 40 years ago did something stupid.  We all manage that.  If the absence of stupid acts in our childhood is requirement for the presidency, then I suspect we could have no one to run.

However, Obama proposes that all questions about his relationship with Bill Ayers, Jeremiah Wright, ACORN, Tony Rezko, or any other group should be ignored.  Nothing but smear tactics his site will tell you.  Obama will even go so far as to repudiate many of the things these people are saying, or maybe did deep in the past.  The problem is that politicians, all politicians, say the things that they think people want to hear.  That is why Obama has become a "centrist" once the primaries are over - unless he slips and mentions wealth redistribution.  However, the company they keep speaks volumes about the beliefs they hold.  I can safely say that the people I spend the most time with outside of work and home, are people who tend to share my beliefs.  If I'm a politician, or involved in political activities, the activities and people I hang around with will absolutely reflect my beliefs.  Perfectly? No, of course not.  But you cannot look at the hatred of America displayed by Ayers and Wright, and not realize that Obama must share some of those beliefs.  You cannot look at an organization like ACORN, who spend a lot of time engaged in apparent voting fraud, as well as strong-arming banks into issuing more subprime loans, and realize that Obama must have believed that this was a good idea.

I do believe in taking people at their word, but actions do speak louder.  The company we keep does as well.  

"Tell me thy company, and I'll tell thee what thou art." - Miguel De Cervantes