New York Times

September 5, 2008

Editorial

The Real John McCain

By the time John McCain took the stage on Thursday night, we wondered if there would be any sign of the senator we long respected — the conservative who fought fair and sometimes bucked party orthodoxy.

Certainly, the convention that nominated him bore no resemblance to that John McCain. Rather than remaking George W. Bush’s Republican Party in his own image, Mr. McCain allowed the practitioners of the politics of fear and division to run the show.

Thursday night, Americans mainly saw the old John McCain. He spoke in a moving way about the horrors he endured in Vietnam. He talked with quiet civility about fighting corruption. He said the Republicans “had lost the trust” of the American people and promised to regain it. He decried “the constant partisan rancor that stops us from solving” problems.

But there were also chilling glimpses of the new John McCain, who questioned the patriotism of his opponents as the “me first, country second” crowd and threw out a list of false claims about Barack Obama’s record, saying, for example, that Mr. Obama opposed nuclear power. There was no mention of immigration reform or global warming, Mr. McCain’s signature issues before he decided to veer right to win the nomination.

In the end, we couldn’t explain the huge difference between the John McCain of Thursday night and the one who ran such an angry and derisive campaign and convention — other than to conclude that he has decided he can have it both ways. He can talk loftily of bipartisanship and allow his team to savage his opponent.

What makes that so vexing — and so cynical — is that this is precisely how Mr. Bush destroyed Mr. McCain’s candidacy in the 2000 primaries, with the help of the Karl Rovian team that now runs Mr. McCain’s campaign.

There could not have been a starker contrast between Mr. McCain’s night on the stage and the earlier days of the convention, a carnival of partisan rancor. It was not a forum for explaining policies or defining ideals, certainly none ever associated with Mr. McCain.

On Wednesday, the nastiest night of the week, Mr. McCain’s running mate, Sarah Palin, and other speakers offered punch lines, rather than solutions for this country’s many problems — ridiculing the Washington elite (of which most were solid members) and Barack Obama.

“Al Qaeda terrorists still plot to inflict catastrophic harm on America, and he’s worried that someone won’t read them their rights,” Ms. Palin said.

Mr. Obama, in reality, wants to give basic human rights to prisoners in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, only a handful of whom are Qaeda members, and shield them from torture. So, once upon a time, did Mr. McCain, but there was no mention of that in St. Paul, or of the bill he wrote protecting those prisoners.

Mike Huckabee dismissed Mr. Obama, the first black candidate of any major party, as a mere “symbolic” choice for president.

At the same time, the Republicans tried to co-opt Mr. Obama’s talk of change and paint themselves as the real Americans. It is an ill-fitting suit for the least diverse, most conservative and richest Republican delegates since The Times started tracking such data in 1996.

It was, in short, a gathering devoted almost entirely to the culture war refined by Mr. Rove in Mr. Bush’s two campaigns.

On Thursday, Mr. McCain said he would reach out to “any willing patriot, make this government start working for you again.” Mr. Bush, too, promised the same bipartisanship in his campaigns, and then governed in the most divisive, partisan way.

Americans have a right to ask which John McCain would be president. We hope Mr. McCain starts to answer that by halting the attacks on Mr. Obama’s patriotism and beginning a serious, civil debate.

Republican Presidential Nominee Sarah Palin may have campaigned for mayor of Wasilla, Alaska (population 6 thousand at the time) as a “fiscal conservative”, but according to residents, during Palin’s 6 years as Mayor, she increased general government expenditures by over 33%. Decreased taxes on businesses, and raised taxes on residents.

And similar to a certain President we know, Palin inherited a budget surplus and squandered it. Palin left Wasilla $22 million in debt.

What a great VP Pick McCain! Gooooo Republicans! Idiots.

Sarah Palin’s speech at the Republican National Convention tonight highlighted the Alaska Governor’s complete incomprehension of the crisis our country is in.

Our economy is tanking. Our environment and transportation sector are held hostage by Big Oil. Our monopolies on innovation, technology and hope are crumbling. Our military is spread so thin that we have no way to check Iranian and Russian aggression, let alone catch Osama bin Laden. Our poverty and unemployment rates are increasing. Our middle class is evaporating. Our housing market is worse than it was during the Great Depression. Americans are homeless, jobless and penniless.

Did Palin mention ANY of this tonight? NO!

Palin offered nothing of substance except that parents of special needs kids would have an advocate in the White House in her.

Palin stuck to her already tiresome narrative of PTA meglomaniac.

And let’s call it like it is: Palin did not oppose the “bridge to nowhere” until she realized that Alaskans weren’t interested.

Palin has an abominable economic background, as the governor of the only state bordering two foreign countries, she has never engaged her neighbors in trade or sought to build economic partnerships — she’s never even visited her neighbors Canada and Russia.

And Palin has fought hard to make sure that Alaska doesn’t tap into its human resources and only exploits its natural resources even as pools of melted Artic water wash over her boots.

And just one more thing on this note — Palin has served as the governor of less than 700,000 people all of whom rely on Washington handouts to survive for less than two years. Barack Obama has represented at least 3.5 million Americans who live in the second most important city economy in the US and the fourth most important city economy in the world: Chicago — for six years at the state level and two on the national. And Obama doesn’t have to beg Washington for anything because his constituents do it themselves.

Palin as a Vice Presidential candidate is a joke. But it’s the Republican party who will end up having the last laugh if they’re able to pull the wool over voters eyes and move this circus into the White House.

Republicans — the party of Abraham Lincoln — should be mortified that McCain picked Palin to be his running mate. Mortified and ashamed. Deeply and incredibly ashamed.

Choosing Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his Vice Presidential running mate speaks volumes about the real John McCain — a man who places his political ambitions in front of what’s good for the country.

Given McCain’s health and age and Palin’s lack of a resume should be enough of a signal that McCain is not thinking about what’s best for the country in this election. McCain simply wants to go to the Oval Office before he’s thrown in the grave. And he foolishly thinks an inexperienced, unqualified backwoods political player like Palin will be his meal ticket simply because she has t and a.

Don’t get me wrong … Palin is known as a reformer and rightly so. She makes a fine Governor of Alaska. And given time, no doubt Palin will rise to national prominence. But, bringing her to Washington now is like taking the bread out of the oven before it’s done baking.

McCain is making a mockery of the American public with Palin as his running mate. This move is reckless and incompetent and is not befitting a would be leader of the free world. Palin is simply not qualified — yet — to be our president (which is exactly what a vice presidential must be).

John McCain is not the simple POW maverick who’s story we’ve been forced fed over the last 20 plus years. He is proving himself to be a dangerous politico bent on becoming leader of the free world

But what the Republicans need to do is nominate someone else. McCain is not fit to serve. And his nomination is dangerous … dangerous for the country.

Palin is an exciting candidate to many marginalized voters …. and the Republican party should bring her back in eight years.

But for the next four, McCain can not, can NOT become the President of the United States.

The National Review’s Deroy Murdock laid out a comprehensive plan to get the economy back on track today. Hopefully somebody in Washington is reading his column. Preferably someone at the White House, the Treasury Department and/or the Federal Reserve. But don’t hold your breath while Bush is in office.

Among other things, Murdock argues for incentives to stimulate the economy rather than hand-outs, baby-sitting and outright pandering. He is right on the money, arguing that incentives will foster invention and innovation and self-reliance rather than a knee-jerk open hand to Washington when the going gets rough.

The US is a nation built on invention, innovation and definitely self-reliance. And that is what our economy needs right now.

We do, however, need to keep a safety net for those who fall. Not a French or Dutch-style safety net, but a safety net all the same.

Realistic fears of health costs, lack of health insurance and the looming threat of losing one’s home are all things that stifle invention, innovation and self-reliance. Because these real aspects of American life are debilitating to a great many of us. When you don’t believe your government, your country, gives a damn about your life and isn’t looking out for your welfare, then you psychologically start to erode your own sense of self and ambition. And this is the prevailing mood of the country.

A safety net of universal health care is necessary. And it is a long time coming. Universal health care, working hand-in-hand with tax incentives, would foster confidence, creativity, ambition and would lead to innovation and invention. Not to mention: self-reliance.

Think about how much money we throw away on health insurance, health costs and doctor/hospital visits each year. Think about how the fear of these costs keeps us frozen in our tracks! The money we spend on health care alone could spur a new wave of innovation and invention - if only we didn’t have to worry about health costs.

One can dream …

Unfortunately, Murdock backs McCain - believing that McCain is good for his word and will veto any bill laden with pork. Plu-eeze. If McCain gets in the White House, he isn’t going to “recall” saying any such thing.

But, that is besides the point. On fixing the economy, Deroy Murdock needs to be heard.

Americans should be raising their voices in protest at the way both fronts in the “War on Terror” are being conducted. But, more disturbing than Iraq is our quagmire in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan’s US-anointed President, Hamid Karzai, is highly critical of America’s “handling” of the War in Afghanistan. Innocent Afghans continue to die at the hands of American soldiers. Security is still a joke in the country.  The US is still searching rural Afghan villages for Taliban and Al Qaeda members while everyone with an internet connection knows that the Taliban and Al Qaeda regrouped to Pakistan’s Northwest Tribal Regions long ago. Our forces in the country are understaffed and overwhelmed. Tribal warlords and local chieftains barely bother with Kabul, the capital. And Afghanistan is free only in name.

And all of this is not to mention that our own generals are saying that we should expect things to “get worse” in Afghanistan this year.

What is going on here? What could possibly be the reason that the White House stopped looking for Osama bin Laden or hunting down the Taliban and Al Qaeda??? How in the world did we let the Taliban set up shop next door in Pakistan?

Unfortunately, Bush has ensured it so that Afghanistan will remain fertile ground for extremist groups hostile to the United States for at least another decade. Probably another generation.

Afghanistan should have been our number one priority from 9/12 onward. No question.

But, dwelling on the Bush Administration’s criminal flaws can not be our number one concern at the moment.

Now we need to turn as much of our attention as possible back to Afghanistan and get the job done once and for all. Get the job done right.

The country needs to be cleared of all terrorists. It needs security. It needs rebuilding. It needs to learn self-sufficiency. And it needs to be lead down the path towards prosperity. Like an orphan we need to take Afghanistan by the hand and finally treat her like a long lost family member now found.

This isn’t some pie-in-the-sky-polly anna-rant. All of this is possible. All of this can be done.

Our future depends on it.

We cannot forget what happened last time we let Afghanistan fall into ruin. We cannot let it happen again. And at the moment it looks like Afghanistan may be slipping further down that slope. Time to regroup. Time to refocus.

Muqtada al-Sadr is threatening full-scale war with the US in Iraq.

Listen up White House: do you plan on doing anything about this guy and his army? We tried fighting him (via the “Iraqi National Army”) in Basra and lost. Maybe it’s time for a different approach? A little “thinking outside of the box”? A little nuance.

Calling Tehran to the table to negotiate a peace, a truce, an anything! (You know it’s bad when you need Iranian mullahs to wax diplomatic on your behalf.)

Like it or not, al-Sadr cannot be ignored. He is and will remain a permanent fixture of Iraqi life. And we can’t go in there and simply “obliterate” him in some Sadr City bloodbath - that will only make things worse.

Where is the State Department?! Where is the Pentagon?! Where is the White House?!?!?

Message to Bush: Start doing your (insert expletive) job!!!

Hillary was expected to win Pennsylvania and she did.  No surprise there.  But, is this prolonged battle between Clinton and Obama going to benefit the Democrats’ chance of getting back into the White House?

I stand by my previous assertion: No.

It’s my opinion that the Democratic primary has further divided a deeply divided society.  Hope has been smashed on the backs of hard-working Americans across the socio-political spectrum.  I think people feel lied-to, betrayed and mislead by all of the candidates.  And I feel that cynicism about our government has not been defeated.  In fact, cynicism reigns supreme.

So, why do I feel that McCain will be stepping into the Oval Office come November?

Because the Democrats are simply circus clowns and Republicans the ring masters (and the concessions cart and ticket takers).

And also, people have a long and nuanced memory of McCain’s career.  He’s been up, he’s been down, he’s been all around in the public’s conscience. They may dislike him.  They may not agree with him or trust him or think he is the best man for the job.  But, no one can argue that McCain hasn’t been serving our country his whole life in good ways and bad.

Things could change.  And I hope they do.  The Republicans need the boot!!!  McCain is NOT the best man for the job.  But, Hillary and Obama have got to stop thinking about themselves and start thinking about the common good.  And Pennsylvania’s results have just added more fuel to the fire.  Sigh.

The AP is reporting that a former high-ranking Department of Justice official has been accused of a criminal conflict of interest with connection to the disgraced and imprisoned former Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff. What a mess! Abramoff is the nightmare from which the Republican Party is never going to wake.

And this latest revelation only points in one direction: The White House.

Isn’t it a coincidence that Bush is fighting to keep his visitor logs confidential?

What an adorable little idiot, our W. After all these years of filling cabinet and ministry positions with inexperienced friends and cronies, Bush has once again nominated … take a guess! Yes, you got it. An inexperienced friend for Housing Secretary (after his last appointee had to step down in disgrace for playing favorites with a Philadelphia contractor).

Despite minor inconveniences like Katrina, Bush is just as loyal as ever. (If we could have been so lucky to have attended Andover, Yale or Harvard with President Bush!!! One can always dream, I suppose.) And just what’s on the plate for this new Bush-buddy (Housing Secretary)?  The subprime mortgage crisis. Yippee! Oh, what fun.