Dear John McCain: what has become of you?

Andrew Sullivan on McCain's integrity:

For me, this surreal moment - like the entire surrealism of the past ten days - is not really about Sarah Palin or Barack Obama or pigs or fish or lipstick. It's about John McCain. The one thing I always thought I knew about him is that he is a decent and honest person. When he knows, as every sane person must, that Obama did not in any conceivable sense mean that Sarah Palin is a pig, what did he do? Did he come out and say so and end this charade? Or did he acquiesce in and thereby enable the mindless Rovianism that is now the core feature of his campaign?
So far, he has let us all down. My guess is he will continue to do so. And that decision, for my part, ends whatever respect I once had for him. On core moral issues, where this man knew what the right thing was, and had to pick between good and evil, he chose evil. When he knew that George W. Bush's war in Iraq was a fiasco and catastrophe, and before Donald Rumsfeld quit, McCain endorsed George W. Bush against his fellow Vietnam vet, John Kerry in 2004. By that decision, McCain lost any credibility that he can ever put country first. He put party first and his own career first ahead of what he knew was best for the country.
And when the Senate and House voted overwhelmingly to condemn and end the torture regime of Bush and Cheney in 2006, McCain again had a clear choice between good and evil, and chose evil.
He capitulated and enshrined torture as the policy of the United States, by allowing the CIA to use techniques as bad as and worse than the torture inflicted on him in Vietnam. He gave the war criminals in the White House retroactive immunity against the prosecution they so richly deserve. The enormity of this moral betrayal, this betrayal of his country's honor, has yet to sink in. But for my part, it now makes much more sense. He is not the man I thought he was.
And when he had the chance to engage in a real and substantive debate against the most talented politician of the next generation in a fall campaign where vital issues are at stake, what did McCain do? He began his general campaign with a series of grotesque, trivial and absurd MTV-style attacks on Obama's virtues and implied disgusting things about his opponent's patriotism.
And then, because he could see he was going to lose, ten days ago, he threw caution to the wind and with no vetting whatsoever, picked a woman who, by her decision to endure her own eight-month pregnancy of a Down Syndrome child in public, that he was going to reignite the culture war as a last stand against Obama. That's all that is happening right now: a massive bump in the enthusiasm of the Christianist base. This is pure Rove.
Yes, McCain made a decision that revealed many appalling things about him. In the end, his final concern is not national security. No one who cares about national security would pick as vice-president someone who knows nothing about it as his replacement. No one who cares about this country's safety would gamble the security of the world on a total unknown because she polled well with the Christianist base. No person who truly believed that the surge was integral to this country's national security would pick as his veep candidate a woman who, so far as we can tell anything, opposed it at the time.
McCain has demonstrated in the last two months that he does not have the character to be president of the United States. And that is why it is more important than ever to ensure that Barack Obama is the next president. The alternative is now unthinkable. And McCain - no one else - has proved it.

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[karlaelisa]

I dont know how I'll handle this if Obama is swiftboated by McVictim.

We have a great opportunity at hand. I have not had this kind of hope EVER in my nearly 30 years of voting.

BTW, Great read on your info here. Thanks for putting this up

[JBrooks1957]

John McCain has made a mockery of American politics by selecting Sarah Palin as his running mate. Palins selection, which wouldnt fly in any field that requires credentials, is a testament to the Republican propaganda machine. The fact that a large segment of the population has bought into the notion that education, knowledge, and intellect doesnt matter, is very troubling. We should all be outraged that John McCain has put our country at risk by attempting such a cynical political stunt.

[AriAri092]

Actually, Republicans are for a smaller government and want to give control back to the people. Government healthcare, government bailouts, and the government controlling businesses? That's what Obama's doing and THAT is a government take over. I refuse to allow anyone to infringe on my rights, whether Republican or Democrat. If you felt the same way, you would see how Obama is blantantly reducing Americans to nothing more than pawns of the government.

[AriAri092]

How exactly is Sarah Palin not kind? What do you know about her? She cares for all five of her children and is a loving wife. She never once opened her mouth to say anything disparaging about Obama's family. On the other hand, the left, including Obama, have picked Sarah Palin apart since day 1. Show me where she's been unkind to you personally, or any other person.

[AriAri092]

Obama has done absolutely nothing to indicate that he wants to unite the country. So far, he has proven himself to be completely partisan. Wake up! This isn't "change." His cabinet, his policies, his practices...all are very reminiscent of Bill Clinton. It's not change, just more of the same Democrat policies, which started this recession back with FDR who implemented Keynesian economics back in the 40s.

[10469]

PALIN THE PET!

[drmmos]

Obama presents himself as 'bi-partisan', and highlights that McCain voted with Bush jnr. (i.e. the GOP) 90& of the time in the last congress.

Obama voted with the Democrats 97% of the time in the last congress.

?

[evan2156]

What name calling? McCain/Palin and the GOP ARE liars! They distort and twist every statement and policy Obama puts forth. The Christian Right Wing will do anything to win. After all, it's God's will!

[pghpa611]

I support Obama

I will Vote For Obama

Its about reunification not polarization

We can't stand for 4 more

John its time for you to retire

Sarah go back to your favorite mall

We Choose OBAMA

[01DINGUS10]

let's just hope the republicrooks don't steal the election again. They've already started in Ohio with the "uncalibrated" voting machines. THEY are the government we hate so much.

[asjinc2005]

I dont see your art as much as I used to. The word needs your art.

Obama 08

[Hopeness7997]

I agree with A1BROS McCain only lies when he opens his mouth.