Monk

In its broad strokes, McCain's life story is oddly similar to that of the current occupant of the White House. John Sidney McCain III and George Walker Bush both represent the third generation of American dynasties. Both were born into positions of privilege against which they rebelled into mediocrity. Both developed an uncanny social intelligence that allowed them to skate by with a minimum of mental exertion. Both struggled with booze and loutish behavior. At each step, with the aid of their fathers' powerful friends, both failed upward. And both shed their skins as Episcopalian members of the Washington elite to build political careers as self-styled, ranch-inhabiting Westerners who pray to Jesus in their wives' evangelical churches.

In one vital respect, however, the comparison is deeply unfair to the current president: George W. Bush was a much better pilot.

-- Tim Dickinson for Rolling Stone

Ouch! Here is a critical account of McCain's background that has been making the rounds. I've only looked at a few pages myself, but in case anyone is interested and wants a little more reason to go for Obama or just to stay home on election day, here is another opportunity at the article.

Obama has wrapped up the Democratic nomination, and it is a historic and happy occasion, especially for liberals. Yet, I worry that this could turn out like Stephen King's "Carrie". The outsider girl supposedly wins the Queen vote, but then winds up with a bucket of blood poured on her. I'm afraid it might be too easy for Republicans to paint Obama as a way-out leftie who cannot be trusted with command.

So, it is something of a relief to see the suggestion that it is poor old McCain who does not stand a chance against the young, vibrant oratorical magic man:


Still, the presidency is not a speechifying contest, but it's reassuring that we really have no idea how the general election will pan out, as it can go either way at this early juncture. We only know that it will be an historic race, and we can bet that it will be hard and mean.

( Obama's great speech )

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David Brooks on the rivalries and tensions in McCain's inner-circle

This week a potential scandal broke out threatening the McCain candidacy. Another hawt blonde: Vicki Iseman. Blondes are deadly to political careers.

One angle that I found interesting involves some remarks by Rush Limbaugh. I usually dismiss him as just someone who throws red meat to the hardcore Republican masses, but his remarks about the lesson that McCain should take from the Times reporting may be telling. He said that McCain should understand that this is why he shouldn't have any dealings with liberal media such as the Times, because they are supposedly just about breaking down conservatives, suggesting that our Culture War may run even deeper than I would have thought. This also explains why Dubya seems to give interviews only to Fox News. In any case, regarding the Iseman scandal, Brooks concludes:

At his press conference Thursday, McCain went all-in. He didn’t just say he didn’t remember a meeting about Iseman. He said there was no meeting. If it turns out that there is evidence of an affair and a meeting, then his presidential hopes will be over.

The 2008 election just keeps getting interestinger and interestinger.

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I've come across this parody of the "Yes, we can" video, mocking McCain:



One cannot help laughing. Yet, one also cannot help appreciating that there may be something to be said about hard truths not making good democratic appeals. Of course, whether it is a hard truth that we need to be in Iraq for another hundred years, or a genuinely mistaken and tragic vision is not so clear. But you should be wary of someone offering rainbows and sunshine; America's challenges are tougher than that.

One thing about an Obama candidacy is that it should make for a more fascinating race against McCain, particularly if the Iraq question becomes ascendent again.

But, hell, even conservative Republicans don't like the guy!

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The American conservative movement has been remarkably successful. We shouldn’t take that success for granted. It’s not easy being a conservative movement in a modern liberal democracy. It’s not easy to rally a comfortable and commercial people to assume the responsibilities of a great power. It’s not easy to defend excellence in an egalitarian age. It’s not easy to encourage self-reliance in the era of the welfare state. It’s not easy to make the case for the traditional virtues in the face of the seductions of liberation, or to speak of duties in a world of rights and of honor in a nation pursuing pleasure.

-- William Kristol for The New York Times

Kristol is trying to encourage McCain-hating conservatives to rise above their churlishness for the greater good of defeating civilization-ending Democrats. It's a hard sell, when only authentic Nazism will do.

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“Our sense right now,” Mr. Halperin says, “is that McCain would beat any Democrat including Hillary Clinton, and Clinton would beat any Republican except for McCain.”

-- Maureen Dowd for The NY Times

Yeah, we should probably have the decency to hold off until after the 2006 elections to talk about the presidential contest, but we know the race for the White House is a full-time sport now, and we started talking about it when Bush squeaked out another dubious election in 2004. But it is early days. And still interesting.

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