In the run up to B-Day, all was fair – and give credit to both the people at McCain’s rallies who would shout “terrorist!” and “Arab!” (and to the smart ones) and to those at Obama’s who would scream “Keating Five!” and “old as sh--!” (if they were screaming that) in the weeks leading up to November 4th. Each and every one of them, in their own unique (sometimes demented) way, were inspiring political activism.
That in mind – news anchors, talk show hosts, journalists, community organizers, and loud mouthed idiots alike were all acting justly and with democratic ideals in mind as they lambasted the candidate of their ire; no matter the fury or invalidity of their arguments (that’s for the audience to worry about). The point is, until the second after the outcome was official, any sort slogan-slander, any sort of misleading statement, any sort of honest and thoughtful question, any sort of anything, was all fair game (even the
B-face girl had her place).
But when the election clock struck Obama, the anger and disrespect for McCain should have subsided to some degree. Sure the man sold out by – after what seemed like years of centrist governing (see fivethirtyeight's take on his bipartisan record by
clicking here) – allowing the same campaign strategists that got Bush elected twice to guide his campaign. The small problem with that is that the people who ran Bush’s campaign ended up running the whole administration, and that leads to the big problem; everyone associates the Bush administration with a reign of terro--, uh, idiocy.
If Obama attacked McCain at all, it was by drawing parallels between he and Bush. While both are members of the same party, there are noticeable differences between the two (of course, by hiring the same strategists – in appearance anyways – the similarities between the two seemed all the more true). But McCain lost. And he has been in government for a long time. And outside of a couple unsightly (and unpresidential) actions, he has worked within the bounds of the Republican party in a way that has catered to Democratic ideals better than most red-wingers. So why are we all still dogging him?
The comedians are still having a go; and I guess we shouldn’t really care too much, they’re comedians. But in his
first interview since the election, which was hosted by Jay Leno – and was generally amiable – it was “Yeah, I gotcha John” from Leno, and a very subtle aura of arrogance and condescension. That, in a way also isn’t so horrible. If that were W up there he’d prolly not catch on to it, would certainly deserve it, and if he was capable of recognizing he would make an ass of himself by, well, in words I imagine to be his own, 'trying to preemptively deter the characto-social-assasination attempt that threatened the freedom and livelihood of the conversation'. McCain on the other hand isn’t Bush, does catch on to it, and doesn’t deserve it.
As McCain exposes himself more and more in the next few days I hope that people can help him get past the election – it’s over, it’s done, he can get back to his regular stuff. If he really works hard and gets himself involved in a serious and successful government project he could be the catalyst in the 2012 election when there will be a ‘new kind of politics’ coming out from the righties; which could be anchored at the V.P. position by the steadfast maverick-centrist, John Sydney McCain – packed with 76 years worth inspiration my friends.
Anyways, I digress. The point I’m making here is that McCain is done when it comes to the big show, so let’s take the big, hot, angry lights off of him. He has governed well for the lion-share of his career, taking into account the opinions of his opponents and often working with them. Sure, he is no Obama, but he is no Bush either, and therefore the attitude towards him ought not to be as though they are doubles.
And folks, that man is old. Sure he may be rich, but each and everyone of us who has read a good book or watched a good movie or even heard the right song (Beatles, anyone?) knows that happiness is something that just can’t be bought. How can the old guy who put himself through the world’s most rigorous job interview (and didn’t do great in it or get the job) be at all or even close to happy. And if the whole bloody world won’t give up on the fact that he lost, geez, it gets even tougher. What's more? A little leniency is due; he did lose to the most inspirational figure of this millennium, right?
If you want to give him a hard time, ask him what he thinks of Obama – it’s a slight and it’s something people want to hear, and it doesn’t force him to look like an idiot. Leno talked to McCain at length about Sarah Palin, who is a moron. On a brief tangent; Palin should not be provided the same post-election relief as McCain. She is clearly trying to position herself in a way that could lead to heading the RNC.
But we all ought to keep in mind that while just like Hillary Clinton from the Democratic Party, Sarah Palin is ambitious; that can not hide the fact that just like Hillary Banks from the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, she’s tad brain-deprived. So long as the quotes coming out of her mouth run
along the lines of “I'm like, OK, God, if there's an open door for me, this is what I pray, I'm like, don't let me miss the open door. Show me where the door is” all is fair.
Palin never was as qualified as McCain, and will not be as qualified by 2012 as McCain was in 2008. Just as we hounded McCain for years, if Palin thinks she can manage as commander-in-chief of the United States of America she should be exposed to the heat McCain was feeling in the weeks, months, and years prior to the election.
To get back to McCain and make one last point, in his concession speech McCain noted that the loss was his fault and no one elses. Despite this, I’m pretty sure that in his heart of hearts he doesn’t believe it - the statement seems to be too self-critical and too harsh. But he said it for a reason, a good reason.
By admitting personal defeat on such a high level, McCain was exposing to every listening ear that he is both fallible and has failed. In doing this McCain was indirectly asking each and everyone to accept him as what he is without criticism – the gravity of his loss has hit him harder than necessary. Yes, in this small mention McCain is inferring to all opponents that they need to no longer hate him, no longer dog him, no longer rally against him; he has lost completely. He said it. He admitted defeat. And he’s old! And that means he won’t be running again.
Let’s get over the hatred for McCain. I’m not saying we ought to forget him completely – and if he sparks up controversy, then of course we ought to get involved in a aggressive way – but short of that and especially so long as he is a man defeated, no one ought to look down upon or disrespect John McCain.
With Jay Leno I felt like the host didn’t want to listen to John, Leno wanted to grill him (some more). Bring on any other guest and it’s a conversation or at least an uninteresting but non-hostile interview. Bring on a man who just lost the job opportunity he feels he’s worked his entire life to attain, and let’s ask him exactly where he went wrong and why he sucked so bad. And let’s not really let him jabber on and answer our questions fully because he’s not making a lot of sense; probably due to the fact that he does not want to be asked these sort of questions from a comedian on a late night talk show designed for 20 to 30 year olds.
Off I go on yet another digression, but hey, if you start down a path you might as well get to the end of it, eh?
In any case, prior to November 4th, 2008, I, along with countless others, was a vocal and diligent critic of John McCain; but since November 5th? No more. Just as the assassination of John Kerry’s character ended November 5th, 2004, so should have the inquisition of John McCain. We all ought to have sympathy for John McCain, he lost and is trying to move on; we ought to let him get past the election, and do so ourselves.
Thanks for reading.
GRMM
