July 19, 2002
McCain: First, They Robbed Him...Then Gore
by
Liz Taylor
Dear Buzz:
With John McCain's recent prominence in the media, and after reading fellow BuzzFlashers' comments regarding McCain, I ask you to consider this: How must Sen. McCain feel about being cheated out of his party's nomination? By what madness was bush chosen over McCain? I have given this topic considerable thought since the campaign, conventions, and the (s)election of 2000, and would like to share my conclusions.
We have protested the manner in which bush & his band of marauders cheated Al Gore out of the White House. We are justified in our anger over the outcome of Selection 2000. Our outrage should include, though, how the ghp maneuvered to nominate a despicable, unqualified man they KNEW would jump through their hoops on command. The manipulation of Selection 2000 started well before the Florida Fiasco and the Supreme Court's decision that ultimately installed its court jester in the White House.
McCain was up against a zero -- a person who for years lied, cheated, broke the law, and used his family name for personal gain. A person with a tissue-thin résumé and character traits to match. I may not agree with McCain on every issue but he is undoubtedly an intelligent, articulate man. He is a war hero, a senator with a nearly-unblemished record. When offered an opportunity to be released by his Viet Cong captors, based on the fact that his father was a prominent naval officer, McCain refused. boy george, on the other hand, would use his family connections to get out of a parking ticket. Why did the repugs choose a chronic loser like George II over McCain?
It is my opinion that the answer is clear. The ghp felt there was a lot of ‘damage’ to be undone after eight years of President Clinton and they needed just the right person in the White House to front their efforts. John McCain has always demonstrated a resoluteness, tempered by a willingness to truly 'work across the aisle'. His ethics and personality were NOT what the repugs wanted. In fact, they openly griped about his not toeing the party line. If a President McCain were to disagree with the party’s stance on an issue, it is highly doubtful he would be coerced into changing his mind. So, their mission became: "Stop McCain!", and the question then was: whom do we support? There must have been a variety of qualified candidates for them to consider. Unfortunately, most would have the crazy notion to take their own agendas to the presidency. What was needed was a candidate with a proven record of being a front man, one who would accept a figurehead position so the party could call the shots from behind the scenes. It had to be one who would be satisfied -- indeed, thrive -- in basking in the glory of the limelight, but not wish to be required to perform any heavy-duty tasks or asked to make any major decisions, and never aspire to be an over-achiever. What they needed was a even dimmer version of ronald reagan.
With many years of experience of trading on his family's name and acting as a front man for Arbusto (emphasis on 'bust'), Spectrum 7, Harken, and the Texas Rangers, the ghp found their ideal candidate in George, jr. With not one worthwhile contribution in his name to society (but, because of his name, the recipient of many contributions by certain members of society) the repug-lican party put its full influence and power behind bush and hung John McCain out to dry. The South Carolina primary is perhaps best example of the malevolence they were willing to use to discredit him. Despite tactics that smacked of Machiavellianism that were used against him, McCain continued to do well nationwide, scoring high in polls amongst Independents and undecided Democrats. It was a surprise to many that he made the decision to drop out of the race. What pressure was brought to bear on him? What was next in the arsenal of dirty tricks? It seems obvious McCain was forced out, and his resentment was palpable. It was no accident that it took him quite some time to give a rather tepid endorsement of candidate bush.
After 9/11, the minions on the right repeated the mantra: 'thank God bush is in office and not Gore.' Allow me to pose a different, more valid version of that question: Between McCain and boy George, who would have better handled 9/11 and its aftermath? On the night of 9/11 (according to a Newsweek interview with jr. and laura bush), the Secret Service had to wake jr. from a sound sleep at 11:30 p.m. (God forbid he miss his 9:30 bedtime) because of an unidentified jet in White House airspace. Is there any doubt in anyone's mind that, at that point in time, McCain would have been a competent, fully-engaged, and fully awake Commander-in-Chief? The answer to that question is obvious.
It is a gross understatement to say that Sen. McCain would have been a far superior president. The repugs are not only guilty of stealing (S)election 2000 but also of manipulating their own primaries and candidates to deny McCain a spot on the ballot. This has resulted in our being saddled with a stumbling, bumbling, mumbling nitwit with criminal tendencies. Without the burdens of office, he is quite satisfied reading 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' to a group of kindergartners, hanging out with the t-ball set, and playing hours of video golf. He is the very definition of a figurehead (Miriam Webster Dictionary: "a head or chief in name only").
Time has proven that the ghp knew their man. George II has not disappointed those who delivered him to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. He owes it all to them and their wish is his command. His cabinet and aides are nearly all returnees from past ghp cabinets. His policies are eerily reminiscent of past repug presidents -- in particular, nixon and reagan. The ghp in 2000 placed before the need for an able presidential candidate, their own priority: The systematic dismantling of the accomplishments of the Clinton presidency.
All reasonable people should, to this day, strongly question the choice of jr. over McCain. Every reasonable person should recognize that, in their efforts to eliminate him from the field of candidates, the repugs also set out to destroy Sen. McCain. I believe it was done in an effort to minimize his effectiveness, reduce his power base, and isolate him upon his return to the Senate. (*please see note below regarding the use of the word "reasonable".)
This essay is not one that endorses McCain over Gore. Rather, it is an attempt to point out that the conspiracy to get bush II into the Oval Office extends far beyond before the Florida re-count and is more insidious than many would believe was possible.
Liz
Taylor
Houston, TX
*Clarification: The use of the word 'reasonable' obviously excludes a great number of devotees of the right who pride themselves on being called 'dittoheads.' The use of that term is indicative that they are incapable of forming their own opinions.
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