This New York Times article discusses how John McCain declared to his party that, in the face of Hurricane Gustav, this was the time to “take off our Republican hats and put on our American hats.”   Both McCain and Obama have chosen to focus on how they can contribute to helping the areas expected to be hurt.  Cynics will argue that this is all part of the show, and perhaps there is some of that involved.  But if the candidates can put aside attacks, it will be one of the few positive steps forward we’ve seen in a long time.

Of course, John McCain has far more to lose, since this means that the Republican National Convention stage show will suffer.  This was the show where they would attack Obama unmercifully, and create the persona for Sarah Palin that they need to energize the evangelical base that remain displeased by McCain’s moderate politics, his real beliefs that he’s hidden under his hat until he gets elected.

On Sunday afternoon, Mr. McCain declared on television that this was a time for members of his party to “take off our Republican hats and put on our American hats.” He made similar remarks at a campaign rally in St. Louis, even as some of his allies there, like former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts and Senator Christopher S. Bond of Missouri, publicly criticized Democrats and their nominee, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, at the same event.

“This is a time when we have to do away with our party politics, and we have to act as Americans,” Mr. McCain said in St. Louis after a brief tour with Ms. Palin of a federal disaster relief center in Jackson, Miss.

While it seems impossible to wholly divorce politics from current events, I choose to believe that both John McCain and Barack Obama are genuinely concerned and would stand side-by-side to fortify the levies protecting New Orleans. 

While others in their respective parties will use anything and everything to capture a vote, this election offers two candidates at the top of their tickets who (despite the expected pandering, position shifting, vagaries and manipulation of reality to gain transitory advantage), will ultimately prove themselves to be sincere in their concern for the country.  What a wonderful change of pace.

If America could only chose a president for the good reasons, we could have avoided so many of the problems that have plagued this country in recent years.  Perhaps Hurricane Gustav will be the counterpoint to Karl Rove, who destroyed John McCain in the 2000 Republican primary.

I know, the rest of you love/hate the candidates for varying reasons, and can name a dozen reasons why each is lying, pandering, unqualified fraud.  After all, it couldn’t be possible that these are a couple of guys who need to get elected but want to do the right thing, in which case it’s really just a matter of which one is more your cup of tea.

And just in case you’re wondering, this week’s posts will be seen by the fewest readers of any during the year, such that I’m writing purely for my own amusement.  For the three of you who will read this, I trust that my pollyanna-ish views won’t ruin your holiday.