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Appreciating John McCain
For many years, conservatives were ideological zealots. Like Spanish inquisitors, they were on guard for the slightest indications of heresy. Talk radio gurus in particular were punctilious keepers of the flame. If a Republican figure was thought to be “squishy” on any matter – guns, spending, immigration, or anything else – he or she was reviled. Jim DeMint, the former South Carolina senator who headed the Heritage Foundation for a time, said in 2009 that he’d rather have 30 conservative purists in the senate than 60 Republicans of varying hues.
Now the Republican Party is led by a man who donated to Democrats, promised never to reform entitlements, insisted more than once that we should “take the oil” from the Middle East, and spewed more apostasy in five minutes than most Republicans could manage in a lifetime. Accordingly, we are told that personality is more important than substance.
I still care a great deal about substance, but character more. Before too long, many Americans may conclude that we need dull competence in public life and particularly in government. The spirit of President Calvin Coolidge would be salutary. He was laconic even by the standards of the early 20th century, but when he spoke or wrote, it was after thinking. He observed about politicians that:
The political mind is the product of men in public life who have been twice spoiled. They have been spoiled with praise and they have been spoiled with abuse. With them nothing is natural, everything is artificial. They live in an artificial atmosphere of adulation, which sooner or later impairs their judgment.
He was wry. “What I have ever been able to do has been the result of first learning how to do it. I am not gifted with intuition. I need not only hard work but experience to be ready to solve problems.” Quaint, right?
On the subject of character, this seems a good time to praise John McCain. McCain is one of those Republican Party squishes whose lily liver — or something – supposedly drove heaps of disgusted voters to choose a reality TV star. Being human, McCain isn’t perfect. Being a politician, he has compromised and trimmed many times. But his courage and dignity are magnificent things to behold.
I have no idea how McCain will vote on the latest Obamacare modification bill. But when it comes to human rights, the Arizona senator has always been stalwart. When Bill Browder knocked on his door looking for justice for the murdered Sergei Magnitsky, McCain didn’t hesitate. He became one of the first sponsors of the Magnitsky Act. When Secretary of State Rex Tillerson intimated that human rights were all very well, but henceforth America’s foreign policy would be based on hard-headed self-interest and realism, McCain fired off a passionate defense of human rights, denying that they are in conflict with our interests.
I consider myself a realist. What I’ve learned is that it is foolish to view realism and idealism as incompatible. In the real world, as lived and experienced by real people, the demand for human rights and dignity, the longing for liberty and justice and opportunity, the hatred of oppression and corruption and cruelty is reality. By denying this experience, we deny the aspirations of billions of people, and invite their enduring resentment.
McCain, who has already survived melanoma, is now undergoing treatment for an aggressive brain tumor. Within days of receiving the devastating diagnosis, he was thanking well-wishers and quipping that “Even those that want me to die don’t want me to die right away, so that’s good.” Who is that droll in the face of such news?
In an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, McCain demonstrated that same spirit – a blend of grace and impishness all his own. There were two ways of dealing with challenges like this, he reflected, and one was “to celebrate” (he didn’t say what the other was). “I am able to celebrate a wonderful life and I will be grateful for whatever additional time I have.” He quoted a playwright who said he knew that no one was immortal but always hoped there would be one exception. He was optimistic about his treatment so far, pausing to praise the doctors, nurses, and others who had, he winked, “inflicted so much pain on me,” but acknowledged that he was facing a “vicious form of cancer.” He would do everything possible to fight it, but “every life has to end one way or another.” How did he wish to be remembered? “He served his country.”
Did he ever. He flew combat missions, endured years of torture and refused early release that would have placed him ahead of others captured before him, spoke up for prisoners, refugees, freedom fighters, the American military, and American values. He does us proud to this day. This is American greatness.
Published in Politics
The *only* thing that we should judge a Legislator on is their voting record. They could be a combination of the best parts of Mother Theresa, Winston Churchill and George Washington, but if they vote the “wrong” way, what good are they?
I am Miffed also. Miffed that there are people in this God-blessed land with neither the brains nor decency to look beyond a person’s vote to determine his worth as a human being.
We’re not talking about his worth as a human being. We’re talking about his worth as a Senator.
Can we all agree, no matter how we feel about the Senator, that the timing of this post was just horrible.
I don’t think I agree with that. Why? First of all, it was Mona Charen’s regular column. She does one once a week, and this was it. I don’t think she mistimed her remarks. She is allowed to say whatever she wants in her column. And I happen to believe, as with most, if not all, of her columns, it was very well done. She is an excellent writer – no matter what some Ricochet members think.
There would be a modicum of fairness in this statement if it were true. It is not. This thread has been filled with hateful rhetoric about this worth as a human. Why are you not willing to admit that, if you are a good person?
From the beginning of the comments about Mona’s column, people have engaged in the type of vitriol which, were McCain not a public figure, would violate the Code of Conduct (it should anyway).
This is why I react as strongly as I do. No one says, “I disagree with the Senator’s votes on these, and here’s why…” They attack him personally. He is bad flyer; he really died in Vietnam, and on and on.
A Republic needs a well informed, decent electorate to sustain itself, and keep moving into the future. The way this thread has been going, we have failed that test. We might as well pack it in.
I’m finding it strange to see such deference from you towards this man. The VAST majority on here are only discussing his history as a member of the Senate, and frankly how bad he’s been in that role when push comes to shove. There are one two that have said some truly nasty things, but you seem to want to cast us all in that light.
As for him being YOUR senator and thus deserving of some respect, I get that but I’m in Michigan where we have two of the worst two Senators our glorious republic has ever produced, so maybe my level of respect for that institution is already near rock bottom.
McCain is being rewarded by the Manhattan Left for his Trump #Resistance with a hagiographic piece on tonight’s 60 Minutes.
Eh, he’s always been a loser where it could be measured. Last in his class at Annopolis, but still allowed to fly jets because of who daddy and granddaddy were. Crashed a plane or two in training flights. Given special treatment because of daddy and granddaddy in POW status. His fellow POW’s are generally quiet about him. That says a lot.
Now, I will give him a pass for his time as a POW, even if he wasn’t always behaving properly, as some who were there have suggested. Bad time, to be sure. I wouldn’t want that for anyone.
But on his return, he resumed being an awful person, like he’s always been, and he got caught in a huge scandal that demonstrates his real character.
Whenever I hear people wishing to dismiss the criminal or corrupt acts of another person, I always ask, why are you defending him? Are you saying you would have done it too? They always respond, “no, I’d have never done that.” So then, if you knew better, why didn’t he? And since he knew better, why did he do it anyway?
The answer is because he’s as corrupt as they come and he’d much rather stab the American people in the back than do what is right.
So, if you really want to defend him as a person and his character, then I ask you, would you have participated in the Keating 5? Would you vote against this latest attempt to repeal Obamacare, which is crippling this country?
The worst thing is that I highly suspect that the only reason the Senate seems to be one vote short is because most of the rest know they can rely on his cancer-addled brain to cover for them. The rest of the Senate can boast of how much they wanted to repeal this monstrous law, but without McCain’s reliable back stabbing of America, they would have to be publicly seen as backstabbing us themselves.
George Townsend
I don’t think I agree with that. Why? First of all, it was Mona Charen’s regular column. She does one once a week, and this was it. I don’t think she mistimed her remarks. She is allowed to say whatever she wants in her column. And I happen to believe, as with most, if not all, of her columns, it was very well done. She is an excellent writer – no matter what some Ricochet members think.
Of course Charen can write whatever she wants whenever she wants. But why write about this senator when he was quite obviously about to sabotage the conservative agenda of getting rid of the worst aspects of Obamacare? I have great respect for George H. W. Bush. I would not have wanted to write an article praising him on the week he broke his pledge not to raise taxes.
The fact of the matter is that many of the comments have been hateful. Either to the Senator, or Ms. Charen. I’ve seen it on other posts, including mine. Those that were not were, at the very least, thoughtless. They didn’t spell out why they were so against McCain. Just saying so is good enough for them.
McCain in not my Senator. I just care about truth, and I’ve got none of it here. The one actual argument against him I got was on McCain/Feingold. And I agreed with it. It was terrible legislation. But that was good enough for that person. He hated McCain for it, and said there was enough vitriol.
I want reasoned debate. From Smart people. I joined Ricochet for that reason. I enjoyed the Podcasts, and wanted to comment on them. So now I’ve gone further. But I am finding a lot of hate on it now, and arrogance. Just saying something does not make it so. It sickens me. Whomever that upsets, so be it.
George a look in the mirror might be in order. Much venom in your post’s. Just sayin
What does this even mean? Why are you here?
Why would you be offended or insulted merely by the fact that others have a different perspective? Or that another perspective could be beneficial and useful?
I do no wish to put words in your mouth but you seem to be arguing against the very idea of discourse. Are we not here to learn from each other? Why are you here?
First off forgive me for the mistake on whose senator he even is, I thought earlier you had typed that he was your senator, meaning I thought you were in AZ. Him not even being your senator though, well that makes it even stranger that you defend him so doggedly, but to each his own. As for folks just blindly throwing hatred his way without reason, you’ve literally got to be kidding me..? The case against him is laid out pretty well here in this thread (and elsewhere if you care to look) and the details of his various scandals are as bad as you can imagine. This is simply not the good man you seem to think he is, and the fact is that it looks like there’s a good chance our healthcare system is going to be destroyed by the left because of this one man, it just sickens me.
Ms Charen is a big girl and can darn well defend herself after tossing out yet another puff-piece on McCain from the GOPe, she knows well when she writes an article like this that there will be push-back from us deplorables, she doesn’t need you on a white horse to come to her defense. Funny thing though, I never see her engage the folks who actually pay to stay members of this site, she just writes a piece representing the deep state, then moves on, no engagement, no debate. It’s too bad, you’d think she’d want to hear a different opinion once in a while.
Just one thing, and then I am leaving. I have no wish to discourse with people who have not the slightest comprehension of what real debate is all about.
Real debate is about laying out a position, with facts, and then trying to debate it. Not with venom, but with a grown-up appreciation of different perspectives. Maybe it’s the age. People have grown up, for the past thirty years, thinking that it’s okay to yell and scream, call names, interrupt, and just tear down your opponent in any way possible.
The fact that you think it’s okay to tear down a man who has worked his whole life for his country speaks volumes about you and the others who share this type of wickedness. I used to think this kind of disgusting behavior was the purview of the left. I was mistaken. Some on the right can certainly hold their own, when it comes to immaturity, and willful behavior that should call forth opprobrium.
But the fact is that he has spent almost his entire life working against his country and for himself.
So you toss a bomb and walk away? Gee, that sounds a lot like your hero John McCain. If you no longer wish to debate that’s fine, but to insult me by insinuating that I have no idea what the debate is about is probably the reason the Moderators have had to check you more than once already. You don’t engage in debate George. You may think you do, but you really don’t. I think if you and I never “talked” to each other again in these threads that’d probably be a-ok with both of us.
By the way, I’m not even going to read the rest of your comment after you insult me in the first paragraph then decide it’s just fine to leave. Debate doesn’t work that way, your comment is going to remain unread by me.
So all the favorable press for McCain and negative for Romney, especially the efforts in early and open primaries had no bandwagon effects? I may be stupid as you say but I was paying attention.
This thread has discussions about the Keating 5, leaving his wife for a young, rich trophy wife, his votes on Bush Tax cuts, votes Obamacare, McCain-Fiendgold, his failure to use his position to actually fix the VA, lying to his voters, and name calling other Republicans.
Rather than pasting everyone on the thread with the worst comments, or fixating on his admirable military record, why don’t you explain the votes or at least the philosophy behind your support. Focusing only on his time as a Senator, what is it that you find so good that you must be personally aggrieved by people who dislike the Senator?
It might lead to a more productive discussion and actual debate, as opposed to implying that everyone who disagrees with your position is stupid or immoral.
I have to confess that Ted Cruz stating that he won’t vote to repeal even this small part of obamacare has me concerned. Let’s hope it’s just a negotiating ploy .. . .