The Case for McCain
Even the politically-inclined can be forgiven for not recalling each of our 43 Presidents. Though the American Presidency guarantees each of its title-holders a place in history, a few less-than-stellar individuals have inhabited it. But some men have towered above their eras without it. Talk to the average American about Chester A. Arthur, and there's a decent chance you'll get a blank stare. Talk to them about Benjamin Franklin, and they're right there with you.
The former, of course, was our 21st President. The latter never held any national office. Franklin's legacy is such that even the educated mind may register surprise when, looking back on history, it notes that he never held the highest office in the land. You might say the same for men like Alexander Hamilton. These are men whose wisdom and courage would seem to befit the Presidency, but neither ever held that particular honor.
I am not going to suggest to you that John McCain is on par with Franklin, Hamilton, or any of the other remarkable men who had a hand in shaping America in its infancy. What I will suggest, however, is that if John McCain is not elected President, there is a chance history will look back at the fact with puzzlement.
McCain's personal story is well-documented, though not often by the man himself. Beaten and tortured for years in a Vietnamese POW camp, he gave all but the full measure of devotion to his nation. When offered his release from this hell, he refused, insisting that he would only leave when the soldiers imprisoned before him had been released. His dedication and loyalty to both his country and his countrymen is beyond reproach.
McCain does not hide these facts, but he has rarely exploited them. When he does speak about his experiences in Vietnam, the issue is almost invariably raised by someone else. And despite having a son fighting in Iraq, he refuses to trumpet the fact, despite the credibility it would seem to lend him on some of the issues of the day.
Some conservative voters do not believe he reflects their ideals. No one should begrudge any voter their honestly-held beliefs, but I urge them to examine the transformative Presidents of the past. History records their deeds, not their stated platforms. Theodore Roosevelt, justifiably lionized by conservatives today, was both a hunter, and a conservationist. Do conservatives fail to count him among their own because of the latter? Do conservatives bemoan JFK's commitment to funding a landing on the moon as wasteful government spending?
The great Presidents of history do not always do the things we want them to. They often defy us, achieving goals we never realized we wanted them to achieve. We look back at them fondly, but often fail to see the same sense of independence in the candidates of today. We have slowly discarded leaders who lead us, instead preferring candidates who follow our lead.
Every voter must vote their conscience. My hope is that each voter, however, will look beyond the constant flux of issues, to the core of each man. I hope they will choose a President not only because they agree with them, but because they trust him to disagree when necessary. Someone who shares their beliefs, but has shown the independence and courage of thought to seize great opportunities when they come along, regardless of whether or not they fit neatly within the confines of a given ideology.
It is my belief that, if voters do that, they will support John McCain for President of the United States.
» January 29th, 2008
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