Sitting in a drawer in what could be called a closet in Columbus but passes as a bedroom in the East Village is my “McCain ‘08” T-shirt. Along with perhaps being the only un-ironic GOP shirt this side of 14th Street, it is distinctive in many respects. First, it is a pre-Palin tee. I purchased it around a frigid Super Tuesday morning when I was the first at my polling station and well before a McCain primary victory was certain. Its early design gives it the potential to collect big bucks some day. That and the shirt is still encased in its original plastic wrapping.
To the extent labels can apply to someone, I consider myself to be a fiscally conservative, socially moderate, pro-globalization, and democratic loving 26 year old. Moreover, in coming of political age over the past three presidential cycles, I have acquired a distinct distaste for partisanship. Therefore, I dislike centralized control and taxes, but unlike some on the right I recycle, see benefits to compromise, and do not select candidates primarily on “moral values.”
In McCain I was hopeful for reform of the Republican Party’s ideals and leadership. Soon after he had the nomination, moderate and even progressive gestures gave me prospects that he would mark the evolution and not the end of the Regan Revolution. He toured underprivileged areas of the south, had green friendly photo shoots in the woods, and visited frequently neglected South America.
But, driven to placate the party constituencies and to catch up to Obama, a choice was made to run a campaign with the tactics we are more familiar with today. My thoughts began to sour as the campaign became more and more populist, negative, and impulsive. Reliance on well-tread conservative rhetoric marked a reinforcement of red state principles - culminating in Palin’s coming out and my shirt’s concealment.
The recent Colin Powell endorsement crystallized my reservations. Powell did not necessarily articulate new ideas, but he was able to do so succinctly, eloquently and from a position with which I could relate. Unlike the taunts of my liberal friends, I could not immediately discredit Powell’s remarks. To that point, it also does not hurt that I think Powell should be running for President.
As to what he said, Powell spoke up for disgruntled moderate R’s. I agree with a recent Washington Post editorial. Powell’s declaration was to me a statement not so much for Obama but against the GOP and its leadership (Link). He highlighted issues with the party and how it is encouraging a mindset that is short sighted and narrow minded:
“I'm also troubled by, not what Senator McCain says, but what members of the party say. And it is permitted to be said such things as, "Well, you know that Mr. Obama is a Muslim." Well, the correct answer is, he is not a Muslim, he's a Christian. He's always been a Christian. But the really right answer is, what if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer's no, that's not America.”
Because he was able to connect with and articulate my own frustrations, Powell raised concerns in my eyes of how a McCain Presidency would govern. Powell implicitly brought into question the people and constituencies who might be working with and for McCain. Although he is not directly responsible for these short-sighted statements, it is troublesome that McCain is complicit in this campaign’s tone and what that might mean for political discourse. Moreover, Powell’s statements made me further question how a McCain selection could be transition for the party and the presidency.
So, where does that leave me? Currently undecided. When contrasted with McCain, Obama is problematic for me in terms of issues and experience that should probably be left for another essay. But, in terms of rhetoric and demeanor Obama can be inspiring. I can see how his personality could reshape how America is perceived. Instead of the nation of 9/11, Europe and the rest of the world might be more prone to regard us as a center for compassion and freedom. For all these reasons, Powell repeatedly referred to Obama as a transformative figure. McCain might be one too. Unfortunately, it appears he is too entrapped by the plastic wrap of his party constituencies.
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This article can also be found here
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1 comment:
well said.
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