I've had a pretty hard time the past few months holding onto the long standing respect I generally had for John McCain. I have to tell the truth, I've liked him for a long time.
And because of that, as I was with Hillary Clinton during the primaries, I have been very disappointed with the strategies employed by his campaign, because they stood in stark contrast with my image of the individual. Don't get me wrong, I don't think he ever was the best choice we had for President, now, or when he ran last in 2000. But, I've never felt for McCain, either the visceral unease nor the sense of impending doom that G. W. Bush provoked.
What caused me the biggest concern was the really out of control anger and hatred that was starting to be the main theme of his campaign stops and the over the top negative advertising his campaign as turned to, which seemed to cultivate that hatred and racial animosity. Indeed the ACORN ad he released today, seems to me to promote a sense of racial animosity and scapegoating which I think is really unhealthy for our country. UPDATE:the ad was pulled because of copyright claims by FOX
But...today in Lakeville, MN, McCain, at times visibly angry, seemed to try to take control of his campaign back from the crazies his campaign has been empowering. In a report filed by Time's Ana Marie Cox (who started the Wonkette blog) McCain has started to push back against the worst rhetoric of his supporters.
He acknowledges the "energy" people have been showing at rallies, and how glad he is that people are excited. But, he says, "I respect Sen. Obama and his accomplishments." People booed at the mention of his name. McCain, visibly angry, stopped them: "I want EVERYONE to be respectful, and lets make sure we are."
The very next questioner tried to push back on this request, noting that he needed to "tell the American the TRUTH about Barack Obama" -- a not very subtle way, I think, to ask John McCain to NOT tell the truth about Barack Obama. McCain told her there's a "difference between record and rhetoric, and I plan to talk about his record, respectfully... I don't mean that has to reduce your ferocity, I just mean it has to be respectful."
And then later, again, someone dangled a great big piece of low-hanging fruit in front of McCain: "I'm scared to bring up my child in a world where Barack Obama is president."
McCain replies, "Well, I don't want him to be president, either. I wouldn't be running if I did. But," and he pauses for emphasis, "you don't have to be scared to have him be President of the United States." A round of boos.
And he snaps back: "Well, obviously I think I'd be better. "
Of course, this is kind of the best of both world: Crazy base-world gets to bring up Ayers and whatever else, really, and he gets to say, "Be respectful." But I think he means it.
UPDATE: Indeed, he just snatched the microphone out the hands of a woman who began her question with, "I'm scared of Barack Obama... he's an Arab terrorist..."
"No, no ma'am," he interrupted. "He's a decent family man with whom I happen to have some disagreements."
I'd have to say, that right now, I'm feeling a little sorry for John McCain. I can easily understand his frustration to be losing the election, but it occurs to me, that considering the way McCain is flaming out, and the mounting rage and frustration of his supporters, the last thing McCain wants is to be remembered as representing the last gasp of overt bigotry, ignorance and racial hatred in a historic race for President,featuring the first candidate of color of any major party. It certainly has to be causing him pause, having it make the news that the Secret Service is opening investigations of what people say about Obama at his campaign rallies.
For my part, his actions today restored a little bit of the respect I have had for him. No one wants to lose, and fighting to win is exactly what we should have in a President...but it's my hope that John McCain is more willing to lose an election, than he is his honor, for no one in America will be made better by John losing both.
No comments:
Post a Comment