In no way am I suggesting that John McCain is qualified to be president of the United States. By temperament and policy, he is clearly not able to lead us in foreign affairs or domestic policy. He is mired in the cold war policies of the past. His aggressiveness is likely to provoke another useless war...
But in defending Barack Obama this week, McCain did a good thing.
A woman in a rabid right wing rally said, "We can't trust Obama... He's an Arab."
McCain answered "No ma'am. That's not true... He is a good family man."
As if the two were mutually exclusive.
If McCain were smarter, he could have seized the Lincolnesque moment and have knocked it out of the park...He would have won political points among independents -- who hate negative campaigning. He could have gone on a riff about how Arabs can be loyal Americans, etc.
Even now McCain could insure an enduring place in history, and perhaps help himself in the campaign. .....by delivering a major speech on these themes. Or maybe he could interject such ideas into Wednesday's debate.
"My friends, a woman at a rally told me that my rival, Senator Obama, was suspect because he was an Arab.
"I want to say this once and for all. He is not an Arab. He is not a Muslim. He is a Christian and a loyal American..
"But even if he were an Arab or a Muslim, this would not preclude him from being President... There are millions of hard working Arab Americans and Muslim Americans who are loyal to this country and are to be honored.
"This kind of blind prejudice against Arabs or Muslims or black people or Jews or women is frankly un-American and traitorous to everything we stand for.
"Bigotry and hate speech must be stamped out and exposed whenever we see it.
"Voters -- even my supporters -- who give in to prejudice and racism are subverting everything that is good and special and noble about this great country of ours.
"The principles of our great, unprejudiced America are what I went to war to defend... this is precisely what our brave soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan are fighting for.
"The bigots and hate mongers are the real traitors to what our country stands for. To what makes us so great."
At this point McCain doesn't have much to lose and he might have much to gain...
But Nah, he won't do it. Not bright enough, not brave enough. Not Presidential enough.
Which is why he is going to lose.
write to: jfleetwood@aol.com
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I have had enough of the fear mongering for a whole culture of people, we should not allow any bit of it.
if he had not goaded these people into thinking
that anything goes when they come to his rallies.
He didn't do anything noble. He did what was right.
All of this race bating and getting these racist
hate mongers all worked up is very dangerous and
he should stop it. He knows what he is doing .It's
nothing less than dividing this country , if there
ever was a time when we need to stick together it is
now. What is wrong with Arabs anyway.????/
Senator you was in a prison camp...and you remind us everyday...Dr. king gave his life...and you were against it...you are no hero my friend...
And frankly, I don't think he believes it himself.
Arizona won the dumbest state status of 2006-2007. Right after Alaska. We also have the lowest min. wage next to Alaska. We have the largest disparity of poor vs. rich. Ask the retiree in Arizona about why they don't want to pay their taxes. They'll tell you straight out, they don't see anything wrong. Institutional racism. Unabashed.
Sort iof like if Obama said "I would like to reject any claim that McCain is too old or too erratic to hold the office of President. There are many people who are even older than him, and don't display any erratic behaviour, and many who manage to lead full lives, wtih physical problems even worse than his.
And how will we ever expect to normalize relations with any nation in the Middle East if we treat Muslim like a four letter word.
Most Muslims don't run planes into our nations skyscrapers. It was George Bush and co. whose failure to make the distinction following 911 which solidified this rift. If this country doesn't make a distinction between insane zealotry, and one of the world's largest religious faiths, why should they ever care about the doctrine of democracy we try to sell them ( for their oil no less. )