We all had one, our first political crush. Unlike the pang of a first love, which typically occurs early in our lives, and dissipates quickly, the political crush come much later, when we have become both very familiar and very disappointed with our still imperfect democracy, and a good one might linger for a lifetime.
Our political crush comes along when we are lucky enough to stumble across a politician, who is so unique that they inspire us to believe, that there is a better way. My first political crush was with John McCain and started back in 1999, when he was a frequent guest of the Imus in the Morning radio show. Campaigning for the Republican nomination for President as a long shot candidate, with little money, his Straight Talk Tour captured me. He was the anti-political politician, He would put country over party, set policies on its merits, speak honestly, admit mistakes and respect others with differing opinions.
Yes, I admit it, I fell for him, hook, line and sinker.
My early infatuation with this man only grew as I learned of his history of service as a war hero, and a POW for over five years in the Viet Nam , who was tortured but still refused early release. As the son of a Four Star Admiral, this would have given the enemy a meaningful propaganda victory, but he would have no part of it, no matter what it meant for him personally.
So, my disappointment was great when the South Carolina primary against George W. Bush got personal and dirty. McCain would lose that primary and would eventually drop out of the race. But still, he want back to the Senate to continue to serve in the only way he knew how. Despite his differences with W., he was not done working, for there was still much work to be done.
By the time the 2008 Presidential Elections rolled around, I had begun leaning left, after a lifetime of leaning right, and while I supported Barack Obama in that election, I was buoyed by the realization that for the first time in my life, instead of being unsatisfied with both Presidential candidates, I could take comfort with either one of these men sitting in the Oval Office.
And despite my preference in that election, there were three very explicit events during the campaign that reinforced my own satisfaction in knowing, that the choice of my first political crush was a damn good one.
The first was during a Presidential debate when a clearly bigoted woman called Obama an Arab, and before she could get the next word out, McCain was already shaking his head and pulling the microphone out of her hand.
Over the years I would agree with Senator McCain on some issues and I would disagree on others, but my crush never waned.
And I had to smile when I heard a couple months back that in preparing for his own funeral, in a request that was emblematic of the man, he asked his two greatest political rivals, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, to speak for him, in his absence.
And President Trump was not invited.
c
Our political crush comes along when we are lucky enough to stumble across a politician, who is so unique that they inspire us to believe, that there is a better way. My first political crush was with John McCain and started back in 1999, when he was a frequent guest of the Imus in the Morning radio show. Campaigning for the Republican nomination for President as a long shot candidate, with little money, his Straight Talk Tour captured me. He was the anti-political politician, He would put country over party, set policies on its merits, speak honestly, admit mistakes and respect others with differing opinions.
Yes, I admit it, I fell for him, hook, line and sinker.
My early infatuation with this man only grew as I learned of his history of service as a war hero, and a POW for over five years in the Viet Nam , who was tortured but still refused early release. As the son of a Four Star Admiral, this would have given the enemy a meaningful propaganda victory, but he would have no part of it, no matter what it meant for him personally.
So, my disappointment was great when the South Carolina primary against George W. Bush got personal and dirty. McCain would lose that primary and would eventually drop out of the race. But still, he want back to the Senate to continue to serve in the only way he knew how. Despite his differences with W., he was not done working, for there was still much work to be done.
By the time the 2008 Presidential Elections rolled around, I had begun leaning left, after a lifetime of leaning right, and while I supported Barack Obama in that election, I was buoyed by the realization that for the first time in my life, instead of being unsatisfied with both Presidential candidates, I could take comfort with either one of these men sitting in the Oval Office.
And despite my preference in that election, there were three very explicit events during the campaign that reinforced my own satisfaction in knowing, that the choice of my first political crush was a damn good one.
The first was during a Presidential debate when a clearly bigoted woman called Obama an Arab, and before she could get the next word out, McCain was already shaking his head and pulling the microphone out of her hand.
The second was at the Al Smith Dinner, the annual white tie fundraiser for "the neediest children of the Archdiocese of New York, regardless of race, creed, or color." Just three weeks ahead of the election, McCain was hilarious, self-deprecating and still honorable. Recalling a time in our country when the invitation of an African-American citizen to dine at the White House was considered to be an outrage, he noted that night that we were a "world away from the cruel and prideful bigotry of that time and good riddance." In closing, he said that while he could not wish his opponent luck, he did wish him well.
And even in defeat, Senator McCain did not disappoint. In his concession speech to President Elect Barack Obama, he worked to move the country forward, urging "all Americans to join me... in offering our next president our goodwill and earnest effort to find ways to come together, to find the necessary compromises, to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited".
His wife Cindy would call it the best speech of his life, for it was John McCain at his purest, putting his own disappointment behind him, and moving quickly to continue his life of service.
McCain was one of those rare politicians who understand in every fiber of their being, that was not about them. It was about everyone else. And that the honor and privilege of successfully serving others was the ultimate reward.
And I had to smile when I heard a couple months back that in preparing for his own funeral, in a request that was emblematic of the man, he asked his two greatest political rivals, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, to speak for him, in his absence.
And President Trump was not invited.
c
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