Back in 2008, Barack Obama and John McCain were battling for the presidency. McCain, a Vietnam War hero and the Republican candidate, represented what was even then a fading political standard in the country he fought for and called home.
The Echo endorsed Obama, but in doing so also lauded McCain. The Arizona senator, had he won that year, possessed pretty much all the qualities that would have made him a fair and decent president.
Donald Trump, who bad-mouthed McCain in subsequent years, lacks the qualities that would make him even a distant match for John McCain.
The interesting thing in this election year is that many Republicans recognize this and are pledging support for Democrat Kamala Harris. In turn, the Harris campaign is reaching out to Republicans and asking for support. In many instances the Harris campaign doesn't even have to ask. Many Republicans do not want anything to do with the MAGA takeover of the once Grand Old Party.
Harris has stated that she would be ready to appoint a Republican to her cabinet. She has to go beyond this and appoint two or more, perhaps in an expanded cabinet. The vice president has also proposed a bipartisan council of advisors to give feedback on policy should she be elected.
"I don't want any 'Yes''people. I want people to come in ... and kick the tires on ideas. So I'm going to create a bipartisan council so we can put some structure around exactly this point. And do the work that is important," she has said of such a body.
This is a good idea and a necessary one at a time when American democracy is clearly in need of across the aisle cooperation so as to face the many challenges that are looming ever larger by the day - challenges that exceed the capacity of any one person or party to successfully meet and overcome.
So Republicans voting for Harris has to be seen as a positive and not just for the Democrats but also the Republican Party itself. GOP voters can vote for Harris and still vote Republican down ballot if they so choose. This is not an all or nothing situation.
What our country so desperately needs now is a little room to breathe and heal. If this comes to pass we can look forward to a resumption of real and clear-cut policy debates in the years ahead, in the 2026 midterms, the 2028 presidential election and beyond.
For all this to transpire of course, Kamala Harris has to win on November 5 and become, finally, the first woman president - this 104 years after women were given the right to vote under the 19th Amendment.
With this being the case the Echo endorses Kamala Harris for the presidency of the United States and wishes her God-speed in her quest to become a president for all Americans.
