Thursday, April 10, 2008
The great John McCain story you've probably forgotten. - By Michael Lewis - Slate Magazine
The great John McCain story you've probably forgotten. - By Michael Lewis - Slate Magazine
I intentionally decided not to clip words from the piece for this post as the article must be read in its entirety. Here's the thing: party affiliation makes not difference here. The promise that Obama brings to people is the very essence of this story, that we see each other as people and not walking political idiocy. I admit that this is often difficult to master, which is what makes this story so remarkable. Yeah, I am a McCain supporter, even with reasonable reservations about his ties to the powerful religious groups, etc. My hope is that he "mavericks" them. Their hope, of course, is that he is a maverick on their behalf. No one really knows how it will or would play out, but McCain is the closest to my political beliefs, certainly a great deal more than was Bush (whom I also supported). No matter.
What we all really want in a leader is a good person (not good man, but good person) who is as honest as one can be, loyal, smart, patriotic, kind, able, and charismatic enough to rally the majority to yield results. Often the last is more circumstantial than anything, as we saw so clearly after 9/11. He does, however, have the qualities that we seek in a leader.
Humility is another, but the ways in which that humility shows itself is all the more interesting. That is partially because it is incumbent upon them to show their strengths with confidence which cannot, by its very nature, be a humble moment. Several articles in major papers as of late have reminded the electorate of McCain's son who is currently serving in Iraq. The important word here is reminding, because McCain does not speak of it. Similarly, the way he speaks around the edges about what was without-a-doubt torture in his own life is a show of humility. If I think of a Clinton who endured torture, it feels sometimes like we would all have to relive it with them on each campaign stop in living color. Maybe I am much too cynical about the Clintons, but what is clear is that it is hard to be cynical about McCain. This story was just one of many that highlight the qualities about McCain that deserve respect.
I intentionally decided not to clip words from the piece for this post as the article must be read in its entirety. Here's the thing: party affiliation makes not difference here. The promise that Obama brings to people is the very essence of this story, that we see each other as people and not walking political idiocy. I admit that this is often difficult to master, which is what makes this story so remarkable. Yeah, I am a McCain supporter, even with reasonable reservations about his ties to the powerful religious groups, etc. My hope is that he "mavericks" them. Their hope, of course, is that he is a maverick on their behalf. No one really knows how it will or would play out, but McCain is the closest to my political beliefs, certainly a great deal more than was Bush (whom I also supported). No matter.
What we all really want in a leader is a good person (not good man, but good person) who is as honest as one can be, loyal, smart, patriotic, kind, able, and charismatic enough to rally the majority to yield results. Often the last is more circumstantial than anything, as we saw so clearly after 9/11. He does, however, have the qualities that we seek in a leader.
Humility is another, but the ways in which that humility shows itself is all the more interesting. That is partially because it is incumbent upon them to show their strengths with confidence which cannot, by its very nature, be a humble moment. Several articles in major papers as of late have reminded the electorate of McCain's son who is currently serving in Iraq. The important word here is reminding, because McCain does not speak of it. Similarly, the way he speaks around the edges about what was without-a-doubt torture in his own life is a show of humility. If I think of a Clinton who endured torture, it feels sometimes like we would all have to relive it with them on each campaign stop in living color. Maybe I am much too cynical about the Clintons, but what is clear is that it is hard to be cynical about McCain. This story was just one of many that highlight the qualities about McCain that deserve respect.
