A few short weeks ago, Senator John McCain was still trying to take the high road by congratulating Senator Barack Obama on his nomination and saying, "this is truly a good day for America." But here we are a few weeks later and, apparently, the McCain camp has decided that John McCain cannot win honorably on the issues, so it has resorted to the dishonorable tactics that the (formerly) "straight talking" senator ripped into--transparent and phony diversions, outright lies. It's sad, really. In 2000, I very seriously respected John McCain and very seriously considered voting for him. In the end, I did not, but it was his fundamental honor and integrity that drew me in. But now, that part of him is, unfortunately, no more. He has chosen to take the decidedly low road to the White House. Perhaps he feels the stakes are just too high for the country he so loves (loved?). Perhaps he believes that an Obama presidency would truly be a disaster. Perhaps he realizes he is old enough that this is surely his last chance at the oval office. Whatever the reason--which I'm sure is a good one, in his mind--he has decided to come down for the high road of honor and chart his course through the muck. In a way, I can understand this tactic is his only chance at victory in November. After all, he is closely aligned with arguably the worst administration this country has ever seen. By his own account, John McCain stood with the administration 90% of the time; the same administration that started an ill-advised war, drove oil prices through the roof, drove the stock market through the floor, wasted unimaginable sums of money, brought torture back to dinnertime conversation, turned the clock back on scientific progress, left many a child behind, drove the price of health care up and tax rates for the wealthy down. I could go on, but you get the point. The country simply wanted a change and only a candidate for change could possibly win. So, what to do? Enter the spinmeisters. If the country wants a candidate for change, make John McCain be the candidate for change (in the minds of 51% of the voters, anyway.) No matter that Barack Obama actually is the candidate for change. Simply change tactics. Change messages. Sure, many voters will realize they are being worked over, but those are the voters that were lost to Obama in the first place. There are still plenty of voters out there to be taken (and taken in). Let the spin begin... Co-opt the "candidate of change" mantra. Avoid substantive discussion of real issues; focus on McCain's war hero biography and how honorable he is; attack Obama on every front (lie when it seems effective to do so.) Belittle Obama's career as laughable ("Community organizer? What!?!?") Criticize Obama as "elite" (which, in my opinion, is a good thing, not a bad thing.) Bring on Palin as VP candidate (diametrically opposed to McCain on numerous issues, dubious qualifications for the job, questionable ethical background, but an attractive woman who may help swing disappointed Hillary fans--which, unbelievably works on some people, but don't get me started just now on how absurd that is.) Keep Palin away from reporters (Charlie Gibson and Sean Hannity are far from top-notch journalists) and on a well-defined list of sound bites. Accuse Obama of teaching sex education to preschoolers. Blame Obama for the mortgage industry collapse. To prop up the "honorable man" image as long as possible, start the attacks using hatchet men (and women)--Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson, Mitt Romney, Sara Palin, and various other GOP minion. Have McCain keep to the high road for a while; have him congratulate Obama, speak of ending attack politics, being a uniter (remember George Bush as "the uniter"--its all so cynical.)
But, there is a glimmer of hope. In college, my friends called me cynical. They said that people were more decent than I gave them credit for. I claimed back then that I was not cynical, I was a realist. That I did not doubt fundamental decency, I just doubted education, objectivity, and rationality. Over the years, I've not been proven wrong. This campaign, McCain's fall from Honor, Hillary Supporters for McCain (or worse, for Palin) only reinforce the views I've had since college. But for the first time since, well, ever, I sense a slight glimmer of hope. I'm noticing more and more folks recognizing the cynicism and calling it out for what it is. And not just from the Bill Maher's, John Stewart's, and Al Franken's of the world, but the Karl Rove's, Scott McClellens's, Lou Dobbs's, even the Bill O'Reilly's. More and more people are starting to say, enough of the lies and and spin; this is going too far. | 
