A Blast from the Past
For the last few months I’ve been experiencing a strong sense of déjà vu; a feeling that we’ve been here, done that. The curious thing about this sensation is that it’s not limited to one party or one candidate.
Now the obvious example is John McCain and his – and everyone who dares utter his name – constant use of his military record. Name one politician or pundit who hasn’t begun or ended a statement with: John McCain is a war hero who has sacrificed for his country. I’m not saying that there’s anything wrong with this statement, but the frequency of its use is making me wonder if this claim has less to do with Presidential experience and more to do with the “unfinished” war in Vietnam. Is this election spinning into a 1960’s rehash of supporting the troops with McCain as the troops?
Hillary also took us back in time by re-energizing the Women’s Movement. My new BFF Dominique made the comment that overturning Roe v Wade wouldn’t be the end of the world since today’s young women take the law for granted and maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if they had to fight for something. Gosh, maybe we can fight Prohibition again as well.
Obama, simply by the color of his skin, has brought race back into the political arena. The last time I remember race being so openly discussed was in the 1960’s – a very hot topic and one I had hoped we’d put in perspective even if we hadn’t moved past it.
So I’m in a time-warp. My point is that we, as a country, do not have time to fight wars already waged. There is simply too much on the line with the environment, Iraq, healthcare, and the economy. And if this election continues to drift into the past… well, that’s McCain’s strong suit, isn’t it?
It’s the darned “baby boomer” thing. We’ve been like the huge lump in the anaconda, passing through America’s history for the last six decades. And we’re all aging hippies now, still wishing for utopia. We need to get out of the way and let the younger folks take a run at solving the problems ’cause we sure haven’t been very successful.
NOT ME P
As i have stated on this blog before McCain is a Victim. placed into Harm’s Way unprepared and unqualified for the Job by family connections. His hero status comes from the fact that he served like all others . But getting his ass shot down and captured does not make him a hero in that regard but a Victim. Neither does finishing 5th from the bottom of a class of over 800 or crashing 5 air craft qualify a person for president. Three cheers for general Clark for speaking the truth and standing by his statement. At last a Dem with some balls and let us not forget that Clark is the last General who has WON a war since before Nam. The last was WW2
It’s probably part of the same dynamic that keeps Hollywood churning out movies that reprise old TV shows or superheroes from the 60s and 70s…
Somewhere along the line we stopped looking forward and started looking back.
I’d blame it on social conservatives, except that I think the disease truly crosses all parts of the spectrum.
That’s what struck me as well, Steve. Depending on how you want to spin… remember the good or the bad old days.
McCain and Hillary wrapped themselves in a past that linked the candidate with the event. Obama, it seems, can’t avoid the past in his quest for the future. You do know he’s black. 🙂
It does remind me of the article by Andrew Sullivan where he lays out what Obama would bring us. He basically argued that we have been fighting the Vietnam war since the 60’s. The same lines that were drawn then by the civil rights movement and the Vietnam war have been waged by proxy’s to the sides in virtually every Presidential election since.
Dukakis, Clinton, Gore, Kerry are the peaceniks and Reagan, Bush, Dole, Bush are the war-mongers. Yes, it is a false dichotomy, but it has been an undercurrent in every election. The flower children and ass-kickers didn’t just grow up, they took power and continued their fight.
Obama is, to an extent, without this baggage. That is why it would be wise for him to keep out of the Wes Clarke debate. Obama can be post-Vietnam, post-Boomer. He can break free from the false dichotomy because he wasn’t involved in the 60’s.
pandora
He’s black? I thought it was just the controls on my TV.
That would explain a lot.