John McCain Naked

It was like A Tale of Two Smiles last night -- It was the best of us, it was the worst of us. One man was a study in calm. The other was a study in batshit crazy.

I kept thinking of that line in As Good As It Gets, when Jack Nicholson says, "You make me want to be a better man." Honestly, I know how foo-foo this makes me sound but Obama makes me want to be a better man. Maybe I did drink the kool-aid, but you know what? Jimmy-crack-corn.

When is the last time we had a leader that we wanted to emulate? Seriously, tomorrow when some douche cuts me off on Sunset Blvd, I'm just going to open my window at the next traffic light and calmly say, "I'd like to address your driving style. If you don't mind."

We've had so many years of people who vilify their political enemies, years of Baby Huey Bush and Cheney, of Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity laying claim to a country that only exists in the black-prison sites of their twisted minds (and at McCain rallies). It's been blood feud after blood feud for far too long. Listening to McCain was a big hunk of enough-is-enough. My kidneys are gonna shut down if I have to endure four more years of that bile.

Mccain and Palin and their ilk don't laugh. They patronize. They don't smile, they snicker. They don't debate, they denigrate. They don't talk, they condescend. They don't argue, they ridicule. There is a nastiness, a mean-spiritedness, a smug certitude, and a profound and baseless arrogance seething from both of them. These aren't leaders. They're not even grownups. They're not a team of mavericks, they're a team of schmendricks (Yiddish. Means someone who can't succeed but thinks he can. Also means penis).

Now, contrast that with Barack Obama. Always respectful, even when disrespected. Always calm, even when faced with contempt. Always articulate, never talking down. He never rattles and never takes it personally. He's not just a diplomat, he's a gentleman. You know what he has? Manners.

I'm exhausted by rigid, condescending ideologues like John McCain. He's like a circus mirror, showing us some distorted version of ourselves as only he sees us. He says "spread the wealth" as if he were saying "spread the herpes." He uses air-quotes while saying "a mother's health," as if it's some radical fantasy invented by "those who would seek to destroy us." McCain's grin is an undisguised scowl of anger and intolerance. But the worst part is that he thinks that's our scowl too.

John McCain is a rear-view image of yesterday's America. Barack Obama is a signpost to the road ahead. It's that simple. And if the people McCain is so proud of don't like it? Jimmy-Crack-Corn. And I don't care.

Read more reactions to the Obama-McCain Hofstra Presidential Debate from HuffPost bloggers

Comments

[scooperss]

You say he's a rear view image, I hope his presidential campaign is history.

[RegLib]

"Mccain and Palin and their ilk don't laugh. They patronize. They don't smile, they snicker. They don't debate, they denigrate. They don't talk, they condescend. They don't argue, they ridicule."

Marvelous! I'll be quoting this right and left for a while.

[thepianodiva]

Yes-and this too:

"There is a nastiness, a mean-spiritedness, a smug certitude, and a profound and baseless arrogance seething from both of them.

[PCRX]

AMEN brother!!! Amen!

[thepianodiva]

Hi, Mr. Seitzman-this is a GREAT aritcle. I LOVE it. You are so right on! We have been living in such a pit for so long. All of us. It's as if we have been put under a spell by wicked warlocks and wizards. Now a true leader, a hero, comes along-and he is positive, compassionate, highly intelligent, respectful, elegant, cool as a cucumber. Something in us is awakening again.

Yes, I too have pondered Obama's exceptional temperament. The more we come to know him, the more exceptional he is in many dimensions. If-or when-he is elected (get out and VOTE), it will truly be a new day for all of us. I can feel it coming.

[raebow]

Spot on! Wonderfully written...­.

[TheFirst]

Thanks again, Michael! You speak my language and express what so many of us feel.

[sirklw]

I agree - great post. I posted elsewhere that the GOP should change it's initials to the FAA: the Fear And Anger party. I can only hope that enough of the country is as fed up with ceaseless hysterics of the right-wing extremists as I am. May Obama's calmness and clarity become the tone resounding through our country.

[attuned4news]

Who amongnst didn't snicker when the candidates were asked about the strengths and abilities of their V.P. picks?

I wanted Obama to thoroughly mince and dice Palin, but instead he complemented her and he was very gracious in his response. McCain, on the other hand just had to get in a swipe at Biden which I found completely laughable. How does he praise Palin with a straight face? He gambled and lost BIG TIME with that selection.

[kalamatiaNO]

I think so many of us remember what a true statesman is -- who we are proud to have represent us to heads of state, speak for what is good and valuable about American society and make us feel as if we are all working together for a better future.

The divisiveness the Republican ticket has stood for for so long has finally made everyone weary, tired of their smear and nitpicking rhetoric. Their continuous loop agenda sounds like a broken record about forbidding a woman's right to choose, lower taxes for the rich, and small government (an oxymoron now that the bailout is being implemented after 8 years of their policies).

I loved this post. It was spot-on.

[mom2sons]

Michelle was just here in Pittsburgh near where I work and among the invited guests was a lady a sit on a local committee with. When she came out, I asked her how was it? She said Michelle was very, very gracious. She is an older AA woman who has been involved in community organizing activities for a long time. She said she hugged her 3 times and she never thought she would live to see this day. Awesome, just awesome. Although we waited a long time, no one was thinking about work, the closest I came was to take a picture and she was waving. I was invited to the rally, but had to work. That's OK because I just imagined that she came to my office, just to see me. LOL She was at the Rooney's house. I saw Teresa Heinz and got to take a picture. TV doesn't do her justice. VOTE OBAMA-BIDEN 08! I'll be at the inauguration though. LOL

[NationalTreasure]

McCain, Palin and the republicans have made a sport of mocking Sen. Obama for his eloquence and education. When did being well spoken and well educated become something to deride?

America's chldren are lagging in education and China and India are revolutionizing their educational systems so that they can usurp our status as a world superpower and the republicans response is to mock someone for being educated.

McCain/Palin and the republicans look more and more irrelevant every day.

[klondiker]

Great post! But, do re-think the title. You're going to cause a riot in here.

[loveHP]

Thank God for these debates, that have so clearly shown the true character of both candidates. It was wonderful to see Obama improve in each debate, too. He was not only unflappable last night, but all of his responses were clear and cogent. In all fairness to McCain we must admit, though, that Obama has had the advantage of having better positions to work with. :-)

[DrAlissaJay]

I swear, the more I read Huffington Post, the more I enjoy it! This was great!

[jazzycafe]

Thank you Michael. So many of us are feeling the same way. You've expressed it so well, it's like YES!, that's how I feel. I also feel exhausted by all of the idiotic statements and fear mongering by McCain and Palin. I wish the election could happen today. It seems like so long since we've had a president who is intelligent, curious, thoughtful, well educated. Obama will be such an inspiring leader. Let us once again aspire to be better educated and to be a better person all around.