"I fell in love with my country when I was a prisoner in someone else's."
—Senator John McCain, address to the Republican National Convention, 2008.09.04
Say what? So Republicans will cheer for someone who suggests he hasn't loved his country for his entire life? Did he not love his country when he enrolled at Annapolis? Did he not love his country when it was led by great men like Eisenhower and Kennedy? Did he not love his country when it stood up to the Soviet threat in Cuba? Did he not love his country when blacks marched with Martin Luther King to desegregate the schools and lunch counters and win full voting rights?
You're right: I'm a hyperpartisan jerk to take one line from Senator McCain's speech and blow it out of context into an indictment of his otherwise clear commitment to his country.
So how about the Republicans who raised a hyperpartisan stink over Michelle Obama's comment back in February about finding a new pride in her country?
The whole bloody blogosphere has become a hotbed of hyperpartisan hysteria over this crazy campaign.
ReplyDeleteThere is a difference. McCain never said that he was proud of hsi country for the FIRST time when he was POW. Michelle Obama did say for the first time she was proud of her country when it selected her hubby as the candidate. BIG difference here. And I notice that she has been pretty much muzzled and made over after that.
ReplyDeleteWay to mince words, anonymous.
ReplyDeleteSetting aside the declaration sans reasoning regarding the "big difference" you claim but fail to identify, I would point out that Michelle Obama has hardly been muzzled. You may recall that the opening night of the DNC convention, Michelle was the keynote speaker before a primetime audience viewing any major cable or network television station. Call me crazy, but speaking to 10's of millions wouldn't make me feel censored or silenced.
I loved my country until I too fell in love with her and served her for many years. Never thought I would say this to you Cory, and I say it with no disrepect intended, ya just don't get it.
ReplyDeleteJoseph G Thompson
We should be happy that we finally have two honorable men who put their nation before themselves running for POTUS. John McCaine has put his life on the line for America and Barrack Obama puts his on the line everytime in steps out in public, cause there are lots of kooks out there. Be proud that both of them are Americans.
Respect back at you, Joseph G.T.!
ReplyDeleteBegging to differ: I do get it. I do not question the commitment of either man to his country. I won't twist one line in one speech to cast such aspersions on his character. The above is simply a rewording of the sort of character attacks McCain's supporters tried to make on another good American, Michelle Obama, for words similar to what McCain said in his address last night. We all love America -- that's just an issue you can use to distinguish candidates.
Cory, there is a difference from Michele Obama's comments and McCain's. Look at the totality of the experiences.
ReplyDeleteMany young people join the military because they feel invinceable and the want to serve thier country. Which is what McCain has actually said in his previous speaches. Now when you are behind bars in a different country while serving your country a person may get a different feeling and actually realize it is love. I don't understand the feelings McCain had nor do I even try.
But really isn't love really why someone serves thier country? But as a young man in thier late teens or early twenties really going to say that they love something. I know many young service men that join the military, they say they do it because of the Kantian ethics and duty to serve thier country. But when they experience hard ship or maturity, thier service is explained as love.
Michele Obama has never experienced the same as McCain.
Signed: hellifino
The comments of Michelle Obama and John McCain have both been blown out of proportion. We all know what they meant and it was sincere in both cases. Unfortunately, politics teaches us to hold our true feelings close because they may be used against us in the future.
ReplyDeleteI thought Michelle Obama was stating something that I've picked up quite often from people much younger than her, a feeling of apathy or maybe feeling one person doesn't matter. She was simply praising her husband because she believes he is the path to a better nation.
John McCain feels he has been molded through his experiences to lead our nation.
They're probably both right, but only one of them will have the opportunity. Does that sound like something Jon Hunter would write? Sitting firmly on the fence?
You sound like Jon Hunter, Anon, but in this case, equanimity is wholly appropriate, as you get the point: the Obamas, McCains, Bidens, and Palins all love their country. They've surely felt differently about their country at different times, but they are all seeking to do the right thing. They have different visions of what the right thing is, and that's what our debate should focus on, not grabbing sound bites and blowing them into something they aren't.
ReplyDeleteHEAR, HEAR Cory,
ReplyDeleteYOU ARE CORRECT!
"They have different visions of what the right thing is and thats what our debate should focus on."
We have let the media define what the debate should be about, we don't define it.
A vast majority of Americans merely repeat what the media feeds them and do not search for the truth.
I had hoped that your posters would be more of the free, open minded thinking kind of citizen we so desperately need instead of posters who have let others think for them.
Joseph G Thompson
Oh Joe Thompson. You know the history of this conventional, suppressed little town. Many people say it will never really change so those who can (for the most part) go elsewhere. Those who remain (with exceptions) play it safe. Our newspaper plays it safe. Our teachers. They don't share their real thoughts because of perceived consequences. A product of the Wenk era, now the LAIC big boys, higher up Janklow and the Republican administration. People don't want to ruffle feathers, so this is what we get.
ReplyDelete