100 People Who Are REALLY Screwing Up America -- #9: John McCain

[Chichiri]

If John McCain had ran against Al Gore in 2000, a lot of Democrats would honestly have had a tough time deciding who to vote for. Alas, that was not to be, because the Bush* campaign smeared his good name in the primaries. Since then, McCain has been spending most of his time kissing Bush*'s ass.

I don't get it either.

McCain, the senior Senator from Arizona and arguably the most Democratic fellow on the Republican side of the aisle, although certainly no friend to progressives, has nonetheless come down in the right position on a number of great things, including campaign finance reform. Like Colin Powell, he has a number of times been in a position to take a stand on principle and favorably change the course of history. He failed to do so, instead allowing himself to become Bush*'s pawn.

McCain's speech at the Republican National Convention in 2004 -- which is best known for his jab at Michael Moore, whom he apparently didn't know was in the hall at the time (he took the opportunity to stand and hold an "L" in front of his forehead at all the jeerers) -- showed us where he really stands (or claims to stand) on matters. "Only the most deluded of us could doubt the necessity of his war," he said, thereby calling over half the United States population deluded. He went on to state, "I knew my confidence was well-placed when I watched (Bush*) stand on the rubble of the World Trade Center, with his arm around a hero of September 11th." This about a man who had made the worst possible character assassinations on him in 2000.

McCain, a man whom many of my progressive friends would have been quite accepting as President, if not proud, was in a unique position in political history. He could have done what Bush* claimed to undertake and utterly failed: been a uniter, not a divider. Instead, he became another voice in the chorus in favor of the obliteration of Social Security, another torch-waver in the Cult of Life.

He screws America by his moral silence, and history will forget him.

[TankLV]

1. A broken clock can be right twice a day.

If anything that this asshole every said made sense, it was purely coincidental.

He has no socially redeaming quality.

[Chichiri]

8. I don't quite agree with *that*

Like that for Colin Powell, McCain's entry was tough to write. He had this aura of respectibility -- I don't know how else to put it -- before he was smeared and sold out.

[Richard Steele]

2. Kicked + recommended.

[cssmall]

3. *laugh* Just call him what he is.

McCain proved that he, in his later years, was happy to rest upon his laurels and became a sorry excuse for a man that at one time seemed so strong. Now, he is a weak, pathetic excuse for a human being.

[blueknight]

4. fuck him

after the way kkkarl slandered him and his wife, he fell right in line in november. fuck him

[longship]

5. This series is good.

Recommended and :kick:ed.

[cosmicdot]

6. linking the series

would it be possible to provide links to tie the threads of this series to each other?


http://www.realchange.org/mccain.htm

[Chichiri]

7. I think I can do that.

But of course, all the entries are on my blog -- see my sig line. Not the discussion, of course, if that's what you're a-craving.