Skip to main content

Oh, McCain

So, I just now read the NYTimes piece about McCain’s Convention speech. Sorry, but pretty much everything he is claiming here is nonsense. He’s going to end partisan rancor? I guess by that he means “after the election”. Or does he only mean that done by the nasty Democrats; Republican invective is not really partisan? It was HIS convention that was laden with partisan jibes, and his VP choice who was the second most rancorous in the parade of bitter characters (Giuliani taking the gold in nasty, partisan invective. I suppose that his ridicule of “hope” shouldn’t surprise me, but the whole thing just saddened me).

With this, why is Palin-as-VP some sort of consummation of his maverickness? Other than her gender, she offers nothing new, nothing mavericky. She is lock-step in line with her party, and loves the dirty tricks perfected by Delay and Gingrich. This pharasitical attitude about being a guardian of virtue who is somehow exempted from common decency is hardly innovative. I find it sad, and rather disturbing.

McCain, give me something here. I respect your service to our country, that your military service was beyond commendable. However, I need a vision. I need something other than a VP who I disagree with on every point. You offer me emotional posturing and anemic vision. I don’t see “change” in anything you’ve said. Sorry, but after the ugliness of the Republican Convention, I doubt there is anything you can do to win my vote. There are times I think McCain “gets it”, gets that America is tired of the ugly politics that his party has mastered. However, he was the only one at his convention who showed any commitment to that notion. It’s clear, especially with Palin on the ticket, that the rest of the party is quite content with rancor and partisan “dirty tricks”. All in all, the behavior of the Republicans, aside for McCain, pretty much alienated me.

So, my take on the past two weeks: Obama was inspiring; Biden a kinda swarmy uber-wonk; Palin angry, partisan, self-righteous, self-absorbed...well, nothing positive to say about her; McCain, a war hero who wants to do something good, but can’t shake the mandibles of his party’s mandarins. Sorry, Pub’s, inspiration wins with me, even over your bitter self-righteousness. Of course, you’ll blame the media for losing this election, like you do everything else. Heaven knows that God’s chosen would ever make need to own any of their own failures.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Driving along in Kirkland , home of the modern yuppie, I’m passed by a new Mercedes. Lovely, silver, shiny, new, bling-bling; a part of me loaded with insecurity twinges while I purr along in my Toyota. Why? How come this is a metric of my self-esteem? Am I being unfair to myself, being upset by this train of thought and it’s influence? Consider, please, how much this viewpoint is drilled into us. Look at how often this imagery gets pushed into our faces, and how long that’s been going on. It shouldn’t surprise me, really, that I sometimes feel this way. Though my conscious values oppose this, the lingering thread of this programming has threads into the depths psyche.

Pitfalls of distraction

With great ease, I get sucked into random distractions. This frustrates me no end. Actually, the worst past of the feeling isn't due to the lingering tasks. I end up feeling distracted, fragmented and worn; I hate that sensation. I love the feeling of moving forward, accomplishing goals with a direction and focus. Of course, I adore helping people, especially those I care about. The right balance, oh how I long for thee!

a winter's walk

Under sunlit trees  Cold air sitting in judgement  I still stop and gaze