An Open Letter to Sen. John McCain

Dear Senator:

My five readers will tell you that you've been taking some shots on my site. For lack of a better term here's the "straight talk" about why. Sure, I'm a Democrat. I won't be disingenuous about my political viewpoint. After eight years of the "current occupant" it would take an asteroid to hit me in the head in order for me to pull a Republican lever this Fall. Nevertheless, Sen. McCain, there was a time when I thought if there was someone on the Right that I might have been willing to cross over for, it was you.

Remember those days? In 2000, when the picture above was taken, and you were giving George Bush fits because he was unqualified for the highest office in the land? (You were right about that one, Sir.) Remember when you still had your honor? When you could take a stand on meaningful issues and, even though maybe your position was different than mine, I would still listen--because you appeared to be a decent public servant of the kind sadly lacking in my lifetime.

Then came the South Carolina Primary. It's well documented how the Bush hatchet team had automated calls going out distorting your record...telling voters, in one example, that you voted against "breast cancer research" when you actually voted against a bill that contained a small amount of funding for research, and billions in unnecessary spending (or earmarks, as we've grown to know and love them). That's just one example of how you were a victim of dirty campaign tricks in the year 2000. Sure, I most likely would have still voted for Gore that year, but I have to feel that the last eight years may have been a little better if you had won the nomination of your party then, instead of now.

Eight years later. For some time you were still running a decent campaign and although thanks to George, Jr. I wasn't going to vote for a Republican, you still had my respect. Emphasis, had.

First, you stood behind a banner trumpeting "Country First" while proceeding to announce arguably the most important decision of your campaign. And you told us that you had caved to the far right wing of your Party, passed up on Fmr. Gov. Ridge (a well qualified candidate), and nominated to the second highest office in the land a person of achievement, but with little of the experience you told us for months that you value so highly. Your VP pick makes Dan Quayle seem overly qualified for the position, Senator. It disappointed me.

Worse, once you got a little momentum going after your Convention, you "approved" a few messages. Your campaign launched a series of ads well documented to be distortions of the record, misleading to the public, and, frankly, just out and out lies. Senator, you went on The View...The View for the love of God, and got your ass handed to you by the queen of softball questions, Barbara Walters. Barbara Freaking Walters, Senator!! You stood before America on the night you accepted the nomination and said you would reach across the aisle--and then you immediately launched the same partisan, destructive Bush/Rove tactics used against you in 2000. In the words of Elliott Ness (as potrayed by Kevin Costner, lol) You have become that which you condemned.

Senator, you have an admirable record of a life spent serving this Country. Before the events of the last few weeks you did not have my vote, but you had my respect. Now, Sir, you have neither. You may win this election yet, but if you do, it certainly won't be because you put "Country First."