END OF AN ERA
In the wake of a huge win by John McCain in Florida, and the inevitable result of Super Tuesday coming up, the far-right, the neo-conservatives, have gone into uncontrollable spasms, convulsing and flopping around on the floor of cable-TV news rooms all over the country. The air waves have become saturated with war cries and the sound of stomping feet and clenched fists slamming on table tops.
I sensed this wave coming a long time ago. Not because I am smart or have any political savvy, but because, in spite of all my failings, I have always had a sixth sense about people and character.
I noticed this last March when I first volunteered for John McCain. The mention of his name to certain people brought about an awkward silence. Like when, with a group of friends, someone blurts out.."yeah, I know Larry!" Everyone else but this person knows that Larry has a "special" relationship with his chickens, and suddenly, there is that silence again. Mention McCain's name, and folks squirm, they look at their shoes, glance at the clock, jingle the around the change in their pocket, and say nothing. It was easy to say nothing up until about two months ago when things began to turn around for the death-defying Senator from Arizona. But I always sensed, that if McCain began to look real, the proverbial doo-doo would hit the fan. And boy, has it ever.
Watching Ann Coulter proclaim on Hannity and Colmes just a few days ago, that she would support Hillary Clinton, and listening to Rush Limblow and all the others advise their "true Republican" brothers to stay home on voting day or cross-over, I knew, as I had suspected, that there is more than legislative disagreement at play here. This is personal. There is a faction that believes that all of the Senator's efforts that involve a Democrat, are carefully crafted schemes to exact some revenge on the Republican party. Imagine McCain sitting up late at night, like John Malkovich in "The Line of Fire", planning his legislative retribution against his "ex" party. What we're really seeing, in my opinion, is something much different.
I have made no secret of my admiration for John McCain. I have read his books, learned all I can about him, spent as much time with him as a NH primary would allow, and long ago decided that I trust him as a patriot, and, more importantly, as a person. I would trust him with my children. And so, I admit my discomfort seeing him get hammered, on the other hand, I know he can handle it and indeed probably enjoys it. What has become more disturbing is watching the McCain-haters implode in a visceral fireball, all the while not understanding what is happening to them. It is not John McCain that is the problem, it is you. It is the end of an era, and watching the last of the power-brokers clinging to their vessel as she lists under, is an unpleasant sight. As McCain pointed out regarding his immigration legislation..."I got the message, the American people want the borders secured first..." Simple enough. Now to Rush and Ann, an urgent memo...you're time is over. The American people are speaking to you as well. They came out in droves from all corners, all sectors, to vote for a man with whom most of them admit they disagree on a few fundamental issues. That is incredible. They came in droves for Obama as well, a relative new-comer, putting up a real contest to one of history's more powerful political machines.
But the message in McCain's ascension is clear. The people are tired of party-lines. They are tired of issues, like global warming, that can't even be discussed because "my party doesn't believe in that". It has reached the point of lunacy. And as much as we all say we want a "uniter", and we want an end to government corruption, and all these other things, when someone with the courage to actually do those things comes forward, we all whimper and run away, run back to business as usual.
I believe what we have seen in this presidential race will have lasting impact. McCain will usher in a new kind of Republican party, I believe, and will be most like Reagan in that he was bold enough to present a new vision. He's not going back to Reagan, he's charging forward into a new, dynamic future, with many complex issues before us. I feel comfortable giving any reader of this column my word, that he will not disappoint as President should he make it that far. And, when you pass by the smoldering cape and broom of Ann Coulter and the smoking, flying-monkey wings of Rush Limbaugh, don't forget to place a rose. It's the end of an era.
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