McCain and the Other Guy

Emerging from that demolition derby called the Republican primaries are one and one-half survivors, John McCain and a huckleberry named Mike.

Republican voters seem to admire McCain’s apparent candor and integrity as well as his positions on the Iraqi war and national security. Liberals and independents seem to like McCain because of his reputation as a maverick and his support for some liberal causes such as campaign finance reform.

For those who think of John McCain as a liberal, however, forget it. He has gone out of his way lately to proclaim that he is and has always been a true conservative. Unlike the vulpine Mitt Romney, McCain has been steadfast in his political positions. Liberals might be inclined to vote for him thinking that he is more liberal than most Republicans. Well, despite the foaming-mouth fulminations of radical right-wingers like Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter, liberals should look more closely before signing on to McCain’s campaign.

To start with, he supports Bush on the most contentious issue today, the war in Iraq. McCain is, if anything, more hawkish on the war than Bush. He says that a timetable for withdrawal would be a “white flag of surrender.” He sees no end to American military presence in Iraq and has said that it would be okay if our troops remain there for “another 100 years.” He thinks that the Iraqi war was justified even in hindsight. He strongly supports the “surge” but would have preferred to send more troops. He wants “victory” in Iraq and projects a long American military presence there. If McCain were to get elected, that war would drag-on for many more years.

Perhaps more ominous, McCain has made clear that strategic bombing of Iran would be acceptable if there is an “imminent threat.” It is not clear what he considers an imminent threat, but I assume he means an Iran supplied with nuclear weapons. We should be deeply wary of putting this bellicose scion of a military family in the White House.

McCain has an 83 percent positive lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union and an 83% rating from the Christian Coalition. He opposes a woman’s right to choose abortion and would repeal the decision in Roe v. Wade. He opposes gun control. He would allow prayer in the schools and supports a constitutional amendment banning flag-burning.

McCain has a reputation for having a violent temper. He has been voted by congressional staffers as having one of the worst tempers in Congress. McCain's run-ins with other Republican senators are legendary. Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa was so upset by a McCain tirade that he didn't speak to him for two years. He once said “f… you” in a committee meeting to Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi. He is known by other senators as “Senator Hothead.” He has been described by Washington officials as being “vindictive,” “impetuous,” and “quirky.” I wonder whether it would be good for the nation to have such a highly volatile president with a hair-trigger-finger on the Armageddon button.

It must be admitted that John McCain was a hero as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam. Prior to that ordeal he did not have an illustrious career in the Navy. He graduated fifth from the bottom of his class in Annapolis and was known primarily as a ladies man and hot-dog pilot. He did suffer torture after he was captured by the North Vietnamese, and his heroism and dedication to honor must be respected. But heroism should not be equated with the leadership of a nation.

Mike Huckabee is a Baptist minister and evangelical Christian who looks like Jim Nabors. He says that ending school prayer in the public schools was one step in society's moral decay. He supports displaying the Ten Commandments in public schools. He opposes a woman’s right to abortion. He opposes stem-cell research. He does not believe in evolution. He says that gay tolerance reflects a lack of fixed societal standards and would forbid gay adoptions. He signed legislation outlawing same-sex marriage in Arkansas and opposes same-sex civil unions. He opposes hate-crimes legislation. He believes that the Kyoto Accord was a mistake. He says that George W. Bush has done a magnificent job. God help us!

Jack LeMoult is a writer and retired lawyer. He resides in Xenia.