Johnny, We Hardly Knew Ye

I’ve liked John McCain. Maybe that’s because I’m an Arizona native; maybe it’s because he’s a graduate of the Naval Academy, where I served for two years; maybe it’s because he’s a genuine war hero who endured more in almost six years in the Hanoi Hilton than most of us will endure in a lifetime; maybe it’s because I was related to his wife’s family by marriage and spent time at her home as a child; maybe it’s because, to this point, I’ve liked his politics.

For example, I liked that he was bold enough to designate Jerry Falwell as an “agent of intolerance” in the 2000 presidential election. “Neither party should be defined by pandering to the outer reaches of American politics and the agents of intolerance, whether they be Louis Farrakhan or Al Sharpton on the left or Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell on the right,” McCain declared, way back then.

In an appearance on Hardball on March 1, 2000, he was asked if he stood by that description. He said, “I must not and will not retract anything that I said in that speech at Virginia Beach. It was carefully crafted, it was carefully thought out.” That declaration has a certain “read my lips” ring to it.

In an appearance on Meet the Press on March 5, 2000, he explained further, “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.” Amen, Brother John.

Now, I learn that John McCain is going to stand beside Falwell and speak at the graduation ceremony for Liberty University on May 13. Apparently McCain has visited the Falwellian confessional and done penance sufficient to receive a blessing from Brother Jerry. “I was in Washington with him about three months ago,” Falwell said in late March of this year. “We dealt with every difference we have. There are no deal breakers now. But I told him, ‘You have a lot of fence mending to do.’” (Jerry can’t ever resist scolding his wayward children.) “He’s in the process of healing the breach with evangelical groups,” Falwell added.

McCain is also in the process of entering the 2008 campaign through the political equivalent of a breach birth – i.e., he’s presenting a butt-first view to all Republicans who dwell left of the right-hand margin, not to mention the Independents and conservative Dims that he will need to get elected. It’s not a pretty sight to see. He may be hoping that May 13, 2006, will be long forgotten by the time the 2008 primaries arrive, but I’m fairly certain that photo op of him and Jerry behind the Liberty U. podium will have a long shelf life.

When asked to explain the flip-flop on Meet the Press recently, McCain said, “I believe that the ‘Christian Right’ has a major role to play in the Republican Party. One reason is because they’re so active and their followers are.”

Well, he may not get any style points for the triple Salchow jump he just landed, but you have to give him points for being straight forward about it. He’s running again, and he thinks he needs the Religious Right to get the Reb nomination, so he’s embracing whoever necessary to survive the southern primaries, especially in Virginia and South Carolina where the lug nuts fell off the wheels of his 2000 campaign. It’s called “practical politics” in campaign headquarters, which is where the phrase “they’re so active” gets translated into “endorsements and contributions”. As McCain himself said in 2000, it’s called “pandering” outside those headquarters, which is where the phrase “they’re so active” also gets translated into “endorsement and contributions”.

What happened in the last six years? Did Falwell change his stripes? Did he move from the “outer reaches” of American politics? Did he file for divorce from Pat Robertson, the whacko extraordinaire? How did Falwell’s ideas morph and suddenly become good for the Republican Party? More importantly, is McCain now saying that his campaign comments in 2000 were neither carefully thought out nor carefully crafted?

I say “more importantly” because the issue isn’t Falwell or his fourth-tier institution, and the issue isn’t the influence of the Religious Right on American politics. The issue is McCain – who is he; which McCain is the real McCain; the 2000 edition or the revised translation of 2006? What will he look and sound like in 2008? On the day after the election in November 2008, will he revert to his 2000 form; or has he truly been born again, politically speaking? The Religious Right would do well to ask exactly the same questions.

We’re seeing another politician who will simply say or do anything to get votes and money. McCain was right about Falwell in 2000; he’s wrong about Falwell in 2006. But that’s beside the point. It’s more important to figure out who’s the imposter? It’s not Jerry Falwell. It’s one of the two John McCains. We need John Daley from the old “What’s My Line?” TV show to say, “Will the real John McCain please stand up!”

John McCain ran for president in 2000; and he lost in 2000. John McCain is running again in 2008. He’d better be careful, lest he lose that race in 2006.