The Cult of The Warrior -- Jack Kemp Was Right: McCain Would Be Too Dangerous as President

In 2000 Jack Kemp (former congressman and Bob Dole's vice presidential candidate) told me, "McCain is a war maker, and I'm a peacemaker, so is George Bush. McCain would be too dangerous as President." (By the way, I noted this conversation in my book Crazy For God long before McCain was running for President in 2008 -- and therefore before Kemp's statement was topical.)

Jack and I were arguing on the phone about the then Republican primaries. I still had Jack's home number from back in the 80s when I was a right wing activist and regular guest in his home. In 2000 I liked McCain -- in contrast to Bush -- so I had briefly jumped back into some Republican political activism, something I'd gotten rusty at after I bailed because of what might be called post right-wing-nut stress disorder, i.e., burnout. Trying to stop Bush seemed like a patriotic duty, so I dusted off old phone books and sallied forth to no avail. Bush not only won, Bush soon sent my Marine son to a war of choice.

These days Jack Kemp (just like the rest of the Republican establishment) is supporting McCain. But in 2000 the Republican establishment's suspicion of McCain was overt. McCain -- went the word in the insider's Republican network -- was "unstable."

Now that McCain is the Republican's man of the hour, Republican heavy hitters are conveniently forgetting that for years they have regarded McCain as mentally unfit for the presidency. Back in 2000 I thought they were wrong and just didn't like McCain because of his "maverick" label.

I changed my mind because McCain has confirmed the worst possible take on his character. He's done this by blindly parroting Bush on the war in Iraq, and now he's even attacking Senator Obama in lock step with Bush's slander about Obama being an "appeaser" of Iran.

McCain has done this even though it is President Bush who has (though the Iraq War) empowered Iran to become the power that most threatens Israel and Middle Eastern stability.

McCain wants to not only stay in Iraq, he promises "victory." As the father of a Marine who served in the Bush/McCain war, this sounds plain nuts to me. How do you define victory in Iraq? Apparently by lying about Senator Obama, denouncing diplomacy and embracing stupid unwinnable wars -- forever.

McCain is more dangerous to America than Bush ever was -- hard to imagine, but true. Bush turned out to be nothing more than an empty suit easily manipulated and terminally obstinate. But there was a certain sense to his foolishness.

There was a business template to hold Bush's actions up to that made them intelligible, even while they were horribly wrong. So we understood (in a grim sort of way) what Bush was doing by feeding billions of our dollars to Halliburton, Blackwater, Boeing et al. It was ugly and he squandered American lives, he made the world a more dangerous place, he coddled and set Iran up as a regional power, thus betraying Israel. Yet there was a sort of ugly logic nonetheless. Bush wasn't a Dr. Strangelove, just the defense and oil business community's lap dog.

Not McCain. McCain isn't a civilian. He sees himself as in tune with a higher calling. He sees himself as a military man first and everything else comes second, including our economic interests.

It is no accident that McCain's memoir is titled Faith of My Fathers. Faith is the operative word here, faith as in religion, faith as in blind belief in things that reason might refute.

On the cover of McCain's memoir are pictures of McCain's military ancestors and of course Senator McCain as a young military man. To McCain and his family, military service is a religion, a self-defining way of life, the question and the answer.

McCain's reasons for keeping America at war in Iraq are religious, the expression of the cult of the warrior -- the liturgy of combat. No matter what war we were in right now McCain would say "stay the course" and "on to victory!" He'd do this in the same way that any priest would want to finish a liturgy, mass or service once begun, no matter what disturbances might threaten to interrupt it.

McCain is dangerous because he wants to do what is "honorable" according to voices the rest of us -- including ordinary sane men and women in uniform -- don't hear. McCain isn't driven to do what is good for America, or even good for our military men and women. For instance, he is against the new GI Bill that would give fair educational benefits to our men and women. McCain doesn't want to give them anything that might entice them to do anything but go to war, again and again and again. McCain serves the warrior god of his warrior ancestors, not America's best interests or even the interests of our soldiers.

McCain doesn't want to let down his grandfather, John Sidney McCain or his father, the admiral. Morality has nothing to do with it. America has nothing to do with it. Iraq as nothing to do with it. McCain is keeping faith with ghosts.

A New Guinea tribesman on a revenge ambush mission, a soldier in Agamemnon's army, a German general in 1944 would all "get" McCain's faith--and recognize a true brother. On the other hand George Washington and our founders would be appalled. McCain is no Washingtonian American citizen soldier. McCain is a lifetime (and very un-American) militarist.

McCain concludes his memoir as follows:

"...My father and grandfather had their last conversation. Near the end of his life, my father recalled their final moments together: 'My father said to me, son, there is no greater thing than to die for the principles -- for the country and the principles that you believe in...' I had remembered a dying man's legacy to his son, and when I needed it most... I held on to the memory."

What are "the principles" McCain's father, grandfather (and he) agreed they needed to "die for," or send others to die for? They are the "principles" of the warrior: victory or death, a cult as old (and Old World) and destructive as human history itself.

A McCain presidency would essentially be a militarist coup. Don't get me wrong, most actual military people I know despise McCain-style notions of death, victory and sacrifice for sacrifice's sake, let alone "victory" and "glory" held up as a sentimental family religion. They know that this is the BS that gets people klled for no reason.

Jack Kemp was right: McCain is too dangerous to make President.

Frank Schaeffer is a writer and author of "Crazy for God: How I Grew Up As One Of The Elect, Helped Found The Religious Right, And Lived To Take All (Or Almost All) Of It Back"

Comments

[beaupritchard]

This really is a good read on McCain ... fight first talk later is a strain that runs throughout his life. Man of action without reason to act ... rebel without a cause.

[latinopride]

I would rather see Bush serve a third term in office than have McCain serve his first. He's going to begin a new cold war with Russia, and probably with China as well. Don't forget about the wars he wants to launch against North Korea and Iran, plus the 100 years he wants to spend in Iraq! In order to accomplish these acts of lunacy during times of extreme economic peril, he will start a military draft and invoke some crazy executive priveledge under emergency conditions. If elected, he will be the greatest threat to world peace. If America elects McCain, I think a collective mental evaluation will be needed on our state of mind!

[KINGS]

I'm glad someone in this forum is talking about McBush mental instability. I wrote about it in another topic and to my surprise it was deleted. Talk obout a progressive forum being scared to call a spade a spade about McBush mental instability which I state came from being captured as a POW.

Bush Jr. used it against Mcbush during 2000 year election. I don't see why Obama camp can't collect those word and videos and use it against McBush during this election.

[Balloonman]

McCAIN has a calling eh? I didn't think that for some reason. Simply at loose ends with a solid core philosophy. That trait allowed him to cross the aisle and work with party opposites. By any means he's not particularly religious. Not particularly sold altogether on Republican dogmatism. Not particularly grounded in predictablity attached to heart felt causes. " . . . in tune with a higher calling" eh? A warrior pledged to stay the course and victory. Military is foreign policy.

GWBUSH is the empty suit filled with ruinous and deadly ideas who has the calling. Gives him the rights. Hears his born again voice, you are the CHOSEN ONE! Save the MIDDLE EAST for RAPTURE and APOCALYPSE. Oil for sure, maybe some democracy in the wake of destruction. Erect bases to clean out the . . . evil. Wait a minute! Reverand HAGEE is clouding the picture. Hagee's KATRINA wipes out 9th Ward sinners and is McCAIN's unrefuted ADVOCATE. But wait, more in tune with Hagee is BUSH isn't he? Saved by the Bible from being his own drunk. Whose voice after all does BUSH pay attention to for advice rather than his own President Father? Don't attack IRAQ! Sorry Pop.

Who's who here? Between the two, Bush and McCain? But McCAIN's religion is that of his Father's. Dying for your country is the highest principle Son. The oath of the warrior. But wait, both men use the good LORD for strength and votes. Well then, HALLELUJAH and

[MPeter]

Here is MSM on McCBush-McCSame hypocrisy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWKWCEK204w

[MizLiz]

Typical. Just typical. We have to stay in the game until we "win". And just how are we defining that? Until the country is totally bankrupt and 10,000 of our servicemen are dead? Is that a "victory" any sane person wants? I agree with Jack Kemp. McCain is an extremely dangerous man for our country.

And I don't give a hoot in hell how long he was tortured. Too bad. Doesn't qualify him to be president, in fact I'd say it DISqualifies him.

PTSD. Explains a lot, folks.

[feo]

If we have to have a militarist, can we at least find a competent one, one who graduated a bit higher in his class, one who crashed fewer planes, one who didn't have a hand in attempting to destroy an aircraft carrier, one who wasn't shot down and captured? Not asking for heroics, just competence.

[SonnyBono]

Not a McCain fan but he had nothing to do with the accident on the aircraft carrier - he was in his plane when another plane on the deck dropped a live missile that caused all the damage and destruction - sort of like W sitting around while Cheney runs the country into the ditch.

On the same note - I have mentioned before (as have others) shouldn't there be some sort of statue of limitations on this war hero business? Being shot down and being a prisoner of war does not automatically qualify him for war hero status - yes, he refused special treatment but the Code of Military Justice states that is one of the requirements for Americans when they become prisoners of war.

[wayoutleft]

wasn't Cult of the Warrior an early '90's video game for those old sega consoles? i think they released a 32 bit version but Virtua Fighter caught on more. it's suprising mccain would have an interest in vintage gaming; but it's more suitable for him than xbox.

[CaseyBabes]

Cripes, the reach of the DNC paper mill is vast, uh, and repetitious. Watched, or taped for later, the Sunday morning talk shows weighted 3 to 1 for dems. Now I find on Monday morning an article almost word for word repeated by the democrat contributors on Sunday, except for the background experiences of the writer. Yet, everything critical to McCain's makeup was said then or written now. Sure is somethin' to the saying about repeating something often enough and it becomes fact.......hmmmm, now who said that originally? President Bush, help me out here, will ya? (Get it?)

[Via]

Whenever you hear someone braying about "victory" it is time to run. That is the sound of some old man getting ready to send your kids to be killed in another godforsaken war. I'd like that word to be stricken from our vocabulary.

[MizLiz]

Those same men who are braying about "victory" are probably saying the same thing in the same terms about a lousy football game. And for the same reason.

Women should run these wars. We'd know how to cut our losses early. Winning be damned, it's survival that counts.

[thegulliblecitizen]

They held me in a prison camp, folks, and I saw losts of nasty things in the woodshed. Now, I want to make you a prisoner of war for a hundred years. That's better than a 20-1 payback. No one has ever accused me of not being vindictive.

Would you give me five?

[thegulliblecitizen]

If Senator McCain had had his way we would be in the 43rd year of war in Vietnam. Extrapolation tells us that we have now lost 500,000 killed, and millions wounded! Ten dollars won't buy you a cup of coffee, and the babies are being eaten for breakfast. Collect your wages in a wheelbarrow, folks.

"Let us now, kneel, bretheren, and contritely worship death." He is the only god of ungodly war.

[Sciguy]

McCain today, Quarlo tomorrow.

[brianwestchest]

I think of McCain as a man of principles. But, what principles? I admire his sacrifice for our country. BUt, I don' t think you can be a tortured POW for years and come out of it unscathed. The more I hear those around him express concern for his "temper", the more concerned I become about having a man in the White House (again) who thinks war first, diplomacy- maybe later.

To even speak of "winning" a war like the one we are fighting in Iraq shows people have lost touch with the type of wars we are fighting these days. There is no "victory" in Iraq. If victory means accomplishing our original objectives (which were to depose Saddam Hussein and rid Iraq or WMDs), that was done a long time ago.

Great post again, Frank.

[Tages72]

I had no lost love for John McCain back in 2000, just a healthy degree of respect. But this election is clearly going to be about the left and right duking it out over the Mad Chimp's seat.

One man is set to ensure that the Dubya doctrine of "expansion in the name of freedom" continues. The other seeks to erase the previous eight years, bringing us back to a point where Americans weren't called "Imperialists" and "dogs" in the same sentence.

The maverick has no uniform on, but is still ready to play war monger. This was a man determined to cut federal pork spending, now he's willing to bankrupt us further due to the Iraq disaster for decades to come. All the while, McCain will have Obama to contend with: A message of progress versus more of the same. (And I'm not talking about Iraq alone.)

The Hawk and the Dove.

Shades of Chicago '68 all over again, even if Clinton concedes before then. We already know the terror card will be played every other week or so. The Hawks will have no answers for the Doves regarding Osama Bin Laden's whereabouts and any chances of capturing the "mastermind" behind 9/11.

The GOP is going to be playing by both Lee Atwater"s AND Karl Rove's books. Anything relating to the Senator from Ilinois is going to be fair game.

The Endgame?

Our economy will prove the decisive factor, come November.

Just wait, (breathe deep) and see...

[Sciguy]

Thank you for pulling out those old terms, hawk and dove. I wish they didn't apply now, but they do.

[booksnmore4you]

When I myself was a conservative, I particularly like Jack Kemp. I still rather like him. He's been known for much straighter talk than McCain.