AURORA - TIME magazine political analyst Mark Halperin believes that national security makes the upcoming presidential election a “life or death” issue for Americans.

Halperin's talk before about 200 Wells College students, faculty and area residents Friday, “Navigating the 2008 Presidential Election,” was meant to both inform and entertain, as trivia questions were sprinkled throughout the presentation, a kind of give-and-take between him and the audience on a number of issues facing the country and whomever becomes its leader.

“We have two presidential candidates who are in it for the right reasons,” Halperin said, dubbing both presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush polarizing figures who had deepened partisanship.

“Bush said he was going to be a uniter, not a divider, and he succeeded in uniting the Democratic party,” he said. “All of the big problems in America today cannot be solved without a bipartisan vote.” He said that the center is the only way to solve the problems of today and that both Barack Obama and John McCain have a centrist instinct.

Halperin stressed three threats that the new president will have to face: war, grave economic problems and systemic problems: auto and airline industries in crisis, and the educational system's inability to train young people in needed skills.

“I have serious reservations about both Barack Obama and John McCain and what might happen if they are elected,” he said.

He pointed out weaknesses in both candidates, noting that it is difficult for anyone to go from the Legislature to the office of the president.

“Neither appreciates how much they will have to deal with homeland security,” he said. “It is a matter of life or death if we don't pick someone up to dealing with that job.”

Halperin said that Obama's biggest obstacle is that he's black. He cited Michael Savage's radio show as playing to some people's fears and anxieties in this area.

As for Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential candidate, Halperin said he was impressed.

“This woman pulled off an incredible piece of theater and showed an incredible piece of gumption,” he said, urging the audience not to vote on the basis of a good speech but to spend the next 60 days finding out who she is.

“Try to figure out how to participate in the process when it's so interesting and the stakes are so high,” he said.

“Most of the public only pays attention three times during a campaign,” he said. “When the running mate is picked, during the acceptance speech at the convention and during debates.”

Debates are now going to be important in allowing the public to compare candidates to each other on the issues, he said.

“The good news is that we don't elect by popular vote,” Halperin said, “we elect by Electoral College.”

He boiled the success of the election down to four states: Michigan, Pennsylvania, Colorado and Virginia.

“Michigan is the key,” Halperin said, “because it is the most racially polarized state. It's (Obama's) biggest problem.”

Staff writer Kathleen Barran can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kathleen.barran@lee.net