The Real Issues: Politics
Am
I a Real American? Did the Real John McCain die last month?
By Michael Mohr, Oct. 29th, 2008
As the election season reaches its
peak, I have to start wondering what happened to John McCain in this
final stretch. A man who put his reputation on the line as the
Straight-Talking Maverick has done no such thing in these final
months. He recently shattered his only remaining self-proclaimed
positive quality as a unifier within the U.S. (definitely not abroad
as accurately portrayed by Mr. Kirchofer in his 10/21 article). The
Real
America comment delivered by Governor
Palin, and on
the same day the Real
Virginia comment given by a McCain
Advisor, Nancy
Pfotenhauer, is a brief glimpse into the morphing McCain approach.
The straight talk express has run out of gas (no energy pun implied),
this has now become the divide and conquer campaign of the Rove era.
Pitting Americans against Americans, redefining how to divide the
country.
The idea that a Candidate
can discount
an opposing opinion of what is good for this country because they do
not represent “Real America” treads on the
foundation of free
speech and the very concept of patriotism. When debating issues that
go back at least two decades without a solution (energy independence,
global warming, social security, healthcare, education reform) it is
just outrageous to say that an opposing view, held by a lot of U.S.
citizens, should be ignored, or are some how less valuable because
they do not live… in Real America. These comments suggest
that the
Republican ticket will just represent their constituency in Real
America if elected. The very concept of trying to segregate the
country into Republican and everyone else is what John McCain was
supposed to stand against! Some would say these may not be the views
of the Senator from Arizona, but unfortunately the views of his
campaign have shown me a dark side of his incredible lack of good
judgment.
It was not too long ago that everyone loved John McCain, me included. The whole country could get behind the ideals of this centrist, pro-middleclass, patriot in 2004. It was not long ago that Senator McCain seemed so centrist he was asked to balance the democratic ticket. He did turn down the offer to run as VP with Senator Kerry, but he was still a cornerstone of his casual campaigning. In 2004, John McCain was an American, not a Republican. (Comically while doing research for this article I came across this interesting NYTimes article focused on gas prices in 2004, again it was about a bill cosponsored by Kerry and McCain.)
Reflecting on the last 8
months you may
ask what happened to the “Real” 2004 John McCain
you watched over
and over again on the Daily Show?... The answer - he became a
Republican. What it all boils down to is John McCain was tricked into
believing that the only way he could be elected is if he tricked
America. He retreated into the republican election doctrine: scare
Americans into voting for you. Fear carries the vote; it is a proven
Republican model. To prove my point all you have to do is listen to
John McCain’s latest Robo
calls.
When I put it all in perspective it
actually makes me sad. John McCain of 2004 was somewhat of a
statesman: an independent, strong willed, honest American. Now, I
cannot
believe John McCain has allowed this to happen. He no longer runs his
show, something I would have never expected from a man who has turned
over his entire campaign team twice. The villain to me is the
Republican Party, who should be ashamed of what they have done to a
war hero, and a former positive force in American politics. The
McCain of 2008 has now become a divisive force in America: Wall
Street vs. Main Street, Real America vs. Fake (non-republican)
America, Rich People vs. Joe the Plumber. Senator McCain, you let me
down, you let the country down, how did you let this happen?