An Open Letter to U.S. Senator John McCain An Open Letter to My Senator, John McCain "Dear John, To begin, please understand that I have not always approved of the job you have done as my representative (particularly with regard to the war in Iraq). That said, I wanted you to know that you have earned my full respect with your admirable role in this flap about judicial nominees and filibusters in the Senate. You've sworn to break ranks with those Republicans who want all of President Bush's judicial nominees to get a straight straw-count vote on the Senate floor. Even though you must surely be "taking some heat over this" from your fellow conservatives, you have thrown your considerable weight behind the cause of compromise, reaching out to Democrats (like Ben Nelson of Nebraska) to try and head off this train wreck. You were right on the money when you said that, someday, liberal Democrats will enjoy the view from the same catbird seat the GOP does, and that today's choices will surely come back to haunt the Party in the future. That's true, and obvious, but the hubris of your colleagues trampled over common sense, tradition and comity, from the White House on down. Still, thank you for bringing it to their attention (although your warnings will, I suspect, fall on deaf ears). Like you said, "This whole showdown is a symptom of the bitterness and partisanship that prevails here in Washington." I don't know, exactly, who would be responsible for this culture of acrimony, although it's hard to blame the Democrats when they hold no real power. Whatever the case may be, I am glad to see that you, sir, have stepped up and taken your obligation as a Senator more seriously than most. It gives me hope for the future of the Republican Party - someday, I hope that these ultra-partisan "leaders" will be relegated back to the fringe where they clearly belong, and that common-sense "moderates" like yourself might seize the helm. The important thing, as you know, is to guide the United States through some fairly tumultuous times. There are so many issues more important to the American people than this filibuster thing, issues that simmer on the back burner while all this wrangling goes on. Your statesmanlike stance makes you, in my opinion, America's best hope when it comes to our next president. Well, you should probably stop here, John, because I'm going to say something to my other readers, and you may just want to leave it at this. Oh, and as far as that pipsqueak Trent Franks goes, no way can you allow some junior House Rep to question your tremendous courage, or to dress you down when it comes to the way you serve your country. You should stomp him like a grape... figuratively speaking, of course. Thank you for taking the time, Senator, and good night." ... Jeez, McCain doesn't have a prayer of ever sitting in the Oval Office. Why am I wasting my time? The very things I'm praising him for are the character weaknesses that will be exploited in the primaries, when the Pat Robertson wing of the conservative movement scurries out. Liberals will pan out the usual stiff, boring millionaire, and conservatives will resurrect Cotton Mather in Tennesseean Bill Frist (daddy to this assault on the filibuster), who wants the nomination so badly that he'd probably scrape tar off a shingle with his front teeth to get it. McCain doesn't have any more chance at becoming president than does Rudy Giuliani. I hate to say it in this day and age, but all that footage of Rudy marching in those gay pride parades while he was Mayor of New York won't be what defeats him - it will keep him from getting into the race altogether. That's just the nature of the primary elections. Call us imperfect. Americans will never be given the chance to vote for someone who might have more than partisan self-interest in seeking elected office, because the system is set up to heed the calls of the far right and the far left, leaving everyone else in a political doughnut hole. So Maverick John McCain, credentials, principals and all, will never get the chance to lead our country even though he might well be capable of doing a fantastic job. But there's no way, and he likely understands that. There are just too many pictures of him with his arm around Ted Kennedy for him to overcome the tide of neo-conservativism that currently dominates our government. Too bad. We could really use a guy like McCain, if for no other reason than to patch up this horrible division that is weakening our nation. Of course, he's still wrong about the war, but then, we were all fools - sorry, fooled about that. Anyway, thank you for taking the time, and good night. Oh, and, uh, God Bless America, too (in case I ever need to run for office; the government has a great health care plan, you know, and something tells me I'm going to need the pension in my old age). Paul Heller 05/19/05 << back to the archives
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