Is The Bar This Low?
John McCain wrote a widely-praised op-ed that was published yesterday in the Washington Post. It started out this way:
President Obama gave a terrific speech Wednesday night. He movingly mourned and honored the victims of Saturday’s senseless atrocity outside Tucson, comforted and inspired the country, and encouraged those of us who have the privilege of serving America. He encouraged every American who participates in our political debates – whether we are on the left or right or in the media – to aspire to a more generous appreciation of one another and a more modest one of ourselves.
Very gracious. He goes on to argue that unfair to blame political discourse for the actions of a deranged individual. That’s true, but it’s legitimate to ask what effect the political discourse has on an unbalanced individual. It’s this part of the op-ed, though, that got the most attention:
I disagree with many of the president’s policies, but I believe he is a patriot sincerely intent on using his time in office to advance our country’s cause. I reject accusations that his policies and beliefs make him unworthy to lead America or opposed to its founding ideals. And I reject accusations that Americans who vigorously oppose his policies are less intelligent, compassionate or just than those who support them.
Have we gotten to the point that this:
I believe he is a patriot sincerely intent on using his time in office to advance our country’s cause
has even got to be written? THIS is what we’ve been complaining about. It shouldn’t be news that a Republican Senator thinks the president is trying to do his best for the country even if he doesn’t agree with his policies. That used to be assumed.
I do sense that things may turn around. There’s finally some glimmers of an economic recovery and the vitriol seems to be dialing down. John McCain’s contribution is welcome, even if it is 2 years too late.
Tags: John McCain, Washington Post
I believe the President Of the United States of America believes in the United States of America.
Yup, that’s a pretty low bar. But after all the talk about “real” Americans I’m not surprised that this is now our starting point.
It’s the least he could do after giving us Palin.
McCain has been saying this since 2008. Listen to the pack of raving buffoons he is speaking to here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrnRU3ocIH4
Civility in political discourse is currently the fashion since the tragic events in AZ. I can’t keep from thinking that McCain’s words are just a way of riding the crest…just another cynical political posture.
In all fairness to McCain, he has defended Obama’s patriotism and citizenship before, though probably not often or loudly enough. Doesn’t really matter, though, as far as Wingnut World is concerned. He has no influence with them.
As loony as some of McCain’s positions have been since he decided there was no future in being mavericky, that’s nothing new.
The cynic in me says it’s probably more about having both been members of the Senate club than it is about principle, but even so . . . .
John McCain has no credibility anymore…I don’t really care what he thinks.
I disagree… Obviously you’ve never tried to stop a mob. That’s essentially is what’s going on here.
Go back 2000 years:
When the Pharisee’s and Sadducees were riling up the crowd at Pilates’ feet, calling for him to free Barabbas and instead crucify Jesus, they were able to get the crowd to go along with such an outrageous and rather stupid argument.
There was no one who stood up and said “this is madness”, and explained how it made no sense.
Actually it takes a lot of guts to do what McCain is doing and face down a mob so riled up that they aren’t thinking correctly. Obviously, they have the numbers to dismember you, … but until that happens there is still a psychological battle raging for control over the minds of the mob.
Often there are a lot of people who want to speak up against the outrages; but when scared, before they do so, they want to know if they are the only one. Real leaders don’t care, and speak out anyway. They are brave. Others, breathing a sigh of relief, then chime in and the opposition who is trying to get the mob to follow an idiotic policy, has to fold.
If McCain was silent, the Sith wing of the Republican party could continue functioning unopposed out in the open, Hopefully, now that their past leader has called Obama a normal person, one who is perusing a normal agenda for the other side, one that mind you, was overwhelmingly voted for by a huge majority of American citizens, … those calling him an enemy of the state, now look like the opportunists that they really are.
Of course Obama is not an enemy of the state. He is actually the savior. 🙂
While it may be difficult to control a volatile situation, Bobby Kennedy showed us how it can be done.
The problem I have with McCain is that he was fine with the mob when it suited his purpose. When he finally did speak out (the rally where he told the lady that Obama wasn’t a Muslim) it was too late… and everybody knew it was too late.
And, while I’ll admit, he probably didn’t think the environment would get as bad as it has he had to know he was playing with fire by letting that genie out of the bottle.
And you’ll remember that McCain actually said “No, he’s not [a Muslim], he’s a good person.”
It took Powell to point out that Muslim and bad were not synonymous.
John McCain picked Palin because he wanted to harness that mob.
LG, that little flash of sanity is what cause the then-forming Teabagger movement to hate McCain.
Powell’s support was fueled only my racial solidarity and was proof he had become a Liberal.
“he was playing with fire by letting that genie out of the bottle.”
DOUBLE METAPHOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
John McCain picked Palin because he wanted to harness that mob.
This is the traditional role of the VP candidate; to be the hatchet man (or gun woman) while the top of the ticket remains Presidential. Even so, I think McCain was just making a play for womenv voters, and I don’t think McCain was prepared for what he got. Palin’s radical secessionist connections were known, but normally you expect people to become more mature, not less, when they step into a national spotlight.
that little flash of sanity is what cause the then-forming Teabagger movement to hate McCain.
True, it didn’t help. But McCain already had voted against the Bush tax cuts, but campaigned for them, while Obama campaigned against the tax cuts, but signed them. Ow, my head hurts. Effing politicians.