A Stitch in Haste

"Governor Bush swung far to the right and sought out the base support of Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell. Those aren’t the ideas that I think are good for the Republican Party."
--John McCain, 2000

"What we saw on [September 11th], as terrible as it is, could be minuscule if, in fact, God continues to lift the curtain and allow the enemies of America to give us probably what we deserve. ... I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists and the feminists, and the gays and lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle ... I point the finger in their face and say, 'You helped this happen.'"
--Jerry Falwell, 2001

MR. RUSSERT: Do you believe that Jerry Falwell is still an agent of intolerance?
SEN. McCAIN: No, I don’t.
--"Meet the Press," 2 April 2006

I have never, ever been a fan of Arizona Senator John McCain. I have never been fooled by his faux "maverick" persona and I have loathed him intensely ever since the legislative defilement of the First Amendment that bears his name.

Now, fortunately, anyone who has yet to see through his opportunistic song and dance has the perfect occasion to have their eyes opened: his humiliating performance this past Sunday on "Meet the Press." Tim Russert repeatedly called "Shenanigans!" on McCain, citing his various flip-flops, including the Bush tax cuts and the Iraq War.

But McCain is rightfully being called to task mostly for his sell-out to the bigot brigades.

I am speaking at the, at the graduation of [Falwell's Liberty University]. I’m not embracing all of the tenets that are expressed at the new college [sic — probably New School University] in New York City, nor other liberal universities and institutions that I have spoke at. For example, I don't agree with the Ivy League colleges barring recruiters — military recruiters from their campuses, but I still speak there.

This is, of course, utter nonsense.

There is a fundamental difference between "liberal universities and institutions" such as New School University or the Ivy League on the one hand, and Jerry Falwell's Liberty University — an institution whose raison d'etre is to provide an isolated and insular enclave for the inculcation of intolerance and the indoctrination of future bigots. There is no excuse, none whatsoever, for any politician who seeks to pose as a "big-tent" supporter of inclusiveness to give a commencement address at such an institution. To equate opposition to the Solomon Amendment with providing a safe haven for bigotry is to make a mockery of the marketplace of ideas and to lose all credibility as an "independent" politician.

It's quite simple really: McCain sees where the Republican Party is going — just as many of us have been seeing for a while, and is doing what politicians do, namely pandering to those who are most likely to elect him.

It's the distinguishing characteristic of all politicians, including McCain: principles are never, ever more important than winning.

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Another McCain Moment:

[M]y position has always been that I will vote against a constitutional [marriage] amendment, which will come before the Senate on, on this issue, because I think the states should decide. That’s the essence of federalism. In my state of Arizona, we have a ballot initiative on this issue, which I am supporting. And so — but if the courts, if the, if through the court process, they say that that’s not constitutional, then I would support a constitutional amendment.

In other words, McCain opposes bigotry at the federal level, but only because bigotry is doing just fine at the state level, thank you very much. But if we need more bigotry down the road, then of course he'll support federalized bigotry too. Because, remember, he's a "maverick" Republican.

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More thoughts from Ari Melber, Gay Opinion Blog, George Will.