When I saw "Complete the Danged Fence," John McCain's new campaign ad, I tried. I really did make an attempt. I tried to resist the temptation of being snide and contemptuous of a man who's given so much to his country, and in many ways, was given a bum rap in return during the last presidential campaign (although I'm still not sure I regret voting for the other guy). I sometimes try to remind myself that sardonic self-awareness and contempt for others has its obvious pitfalls and is, in no way, a sure prescription for "happiness."
Alas, I am weak.
You know, there were only two redeeming qualities in McCain's unfocused and downright amateurish campaign two years ago: the adorable Sarah Palin and the sharp sarcastic approach of at least a small corner of McCain's communications team. (God bless Michael Goldfarb, online editor over at Weekly Standard and deputy McCain communications person, for he provided much humor and wit on the campaign's official blog.)
McCain hasn't even that minor point for his Senate re-election bid. In his highly-combustible contest with "fat, undisciplined goon" J.D. Hayworth, McCain's operation has varied from nastiness to laughable politically correct smallness.
The amount of desperate cynicism "Complete the Danged Fence" requires is breathtaking. I'm not an Arizona Republican or conservative, but if I were, the choice couldn't possibly be any clearer. Hayworth may by the "lobbyist-licking" scum Imus says he is, but that only demonstrates how awful the alternative of McCain is. A Sen. Hayworth would be colorful, if anything and a solid vote against bank bailouts and cap-and-trade madness, certainly.
In terms of principled leadership or ideological clarity, McCain hasn't a case beyond the entirely consistent pursuit of his narrow political interest. Simply speaking, John McCain is a vindictive asshole. Populist liberals, like me, were once impressed with McCain's brazen heresy in the early periods of the Bush presidency (born of the residual tension from the 2000 primary campaign) until the old man's expedient calculations directed him to endorse and embrace that same Bush for re-election. Likewise, his steadfast opposition to Obama's corporatist measures--from heath care reform to the present iteration of cap-and-trade passed by the House last summer--should be regarded as cynical posturing with a future expiration date.
"Complete the Danged Fence" is so weird as to be surreal, and insulting.
How fuckin' credulous are these hicks to let me pull this off? McCain must be wondering.
The good folks in Arizona need to stand up, be counted, and answer this question once and for all.
