The Shepherd's Heart: Another choice

Am I at all sure that I'd want another "same-as-all-the-rest" candidate to vote for? No, no. That wouldn't do at all. We need someone different. Someone apart from the pack. Someone who doesn't have millions of dollars from well-heeled donors to help place mud-slinging ads on television and radio and to buy full-page spreads in national newspapers. Someone who says what he or she means and means what he or she says.

Someone just like you and me.

There you go. The new presidential ticket -- straight from the heartland.

You and me. In fact, any of us just might be just about as qualified as the candidates we have now.

I've been in at least nine foreign countries. I've been to 32 of the 48 contiguous United States. I've presided over several not-for-profit organizations in my day and have been called "executive" director of a couple of community-wide programs. That should qualify me for any foreign policy, domestic policy, or "executive" tasks I may face as President. I've sent forth several "soldiers of the cross" into the world to wage war against the "armies of the darkness." That should qualify me to make commander-in-chief decisions.

And to hear some folks talk, it ain't so tough to fill the spot previously held by the likes of Spiro Agnew, Walter Mondale, Dan Quayle, Al Gore, and (currently) Dick Cheney. Not so hard to be prepared -- just one heartbeat away -- for the Top Job in the nation.

There you go. The new choice in this year's presidential election.

John and Sarah. Barack and Joe. You and me.