An open letter to John McCain

Senator McCain:
You and I come at things from different places on the political spectrum, but we do agree on this point: this election is all about judgment. And lately, your judgment would not get you elected president of the Key Club.
Why is the Republican Party where it is today? Because the former Governor of Texas and the various incompetents he brought to Washington have demonstrated their inability to organize a two car funeral. Wrong on the Iraq War. Wrong on invasions of American’s privacy. Wrong on torture. Wrong on taxes and the deficit. Wrong on foreign relations. Wrong on the economy, the mortgage crisis, abortion, birth control, teen pregnancy education, stem cell research, Alberto Gonzales, Samuel Alito and John Roberts, FEMA directors and Katrina, ethics, Valerie Plame; the list is truly endless. A man so ideologically blind and so inherently malevolent that only 28% of the American people (less than the 62 million who voted for him in 2004) now think he has done a good job. So what does your judgment tell you to do: move in his direction, embrace his supporters, change your positions to the right, and hire the morally bankrupt manipulators that elected him. So exactly what has your admittedly numerically superior experience taught you exactly.
I have a suggestion for you. Run in the other direction. America is tired of George Bush and his crowd of true believers. Forget the narrow-minded, ideologically blind, intolerant, hypocritical, uncharitable, self-aggrandizing charlatans like Dobson, Robertson, and Hagey who wouldn’t know their Christ if they met him on the street. Talk to the decent good people who are Middle America, but not the extremists who seek to exploit them. No more Monica Goodlings or Scooter Libbys or David Addisons or Karl Roves.
There is a John McCain who thought further imprisonment was better than selling out his father and America. There is a John McCain who believes in some principles in the face of pressure from the other lemmings in his party fixed on the daily talking points. Find him, get him a long hot shower, and bring him back on the campaign trail with you. Let the light of his principles illuminate your path.
You will not convince me. George W. Bush has virtually guaranteed that unless the Democrats run Torquemada, I will never even consider a Republican candidate again. Period. But there are others out there who you can reach. I want to see a spirited debate. I want the best man to win. I want the people’s issues put on the table with a discussion about how to solve them. So find that John McCain.
Or you’re going to lose. Big. Huge. So big a filibuster will end before the Minority Leader thinks about starting one.
One more thing – don’t even give Romney another thought. He may make us forget George W. Bush. Bad karma. But that's just my opinion.

Where is my thesis?

OMG!!! According to David Bossie, apparently a conservative blogger extraordinaire, because Obama can't find his independent study paper from 1983 on Soviet nuclear disarmament negotiations, he must be a liar. Therefore, I am a liar, because I like Obama, could not find either my undergraduate or law school independent study papers if I had Mr. Bossie holding a Glock with a full clip pointed at my temple (which he can now buy, keep and presumably use thanks to the Right Thinkers on the Supreme Court).

But let's think about this Swift Boat Redux preview.

Let's assume Obama was in favor of the unilateral disarmament of the US. Junk the nukes - give peace a chance. Our Soviet brethren would no doubt be inspired to do likewise. End of discussion. 40 pages or so of idealistic college senior analysis. Believed every word of it and would argue for hours on end with anyone who would listen. Got an "A" cause he was no doubt writing it for one of those liberal college professors that are poisoning the minds of young America.

My reaction: who cares. I hope to God that no one expects me to believe some of the bilge I spouted in college (which by the way, was a whole lot closer to the present intolerant, close-minded, let the facts be damned full speed ahead current conservative view of world than I would ever wish to admit!) Yes, I actually recall saying that if we left Vietnam the Commies would take over, as the dominoes fell inexorably toward Armageddon. I also recall that I came within a single ill-considered moment of voting for Richard Milhous Nixon (reason did triumph at the last minute).

The point is that we need to elect someone capable of principled flip-flopping. Not your average "I'll say what it takes to be elected" flip-flopping. That is truly bad. But someone who with a clear conscience can say "this is what I believed yesterday, this is what I believe today, and here's why". Not someone who despite a veritable hurricane of contrary evidence will stick to the same position no matter what, clinging to the mast of that sinking philosphical ship as it disappears below the waves of changed circumstances, new realities and the hard-won wisdom of experience - a former Governor of Texas and CEO of Halliburton come to mind here. No, give me that guy who reads the papers (the part with the words, even the big ones), visits the library and reads the books (even the thick ones) and then says, "I am not sure what I thought the facts warranted yesterday still applies today," and then proceeds to advocate a coherent belief and plan consistent with the facts revealed by thoughtful research and analysis.

Or is that too complicated for the normal conservative mind?