Party Politics Defeat Personal Politics

I am a Democrat. However, I always do my best to hear the cases from every angle before defending a position or directing criticism. I watched both the Republican and the Democratic National Convention speeches (not just The Daily Show coverage). I even spent different nights of the conventions watching from different networks: CNN, CBS, PBS and NBC. I do not particularly "like" either of the candidates in this election. If I had to choose a candidate regardless of party affiliation or the linearity of time, John McCain circa 2003 would probably end up being the choice. However, I have serious issue with his party.

John McCain circa 2008 is nothing more than an empty shell of his former self. John McCain was a "maverick". McCain was willing to speak his mind and stand for what he believed, even if that meant crossing party lines. That was all before the 2004 election. There was even talk from the Democratic Party in the run up to the 2004 conventions that McCain was on the list of potential VP candidates on Kerry's ticket because of this willingness to reach across the isle. I do not believe that McCain would have accepted this invitation because he IS a republican. Party politics always come first (unless you are Joe Lieberman who stands for absolutely nothing). I am not discounting McCain for sticking to his party. I am discounting McCain for reversing his verbiage on every issue he previously stood for when he suddenly began campaigning for George W. Bush after his name became associated with Kerry (honestly, I can't blame him for not wanting to be associated with Kerry, but not at the cost of what he believes in).

I sincerely believe that Bush and Co. got to McCain and promised him their support in the 2008 pre-election build up. I believed this theory at the time in 2004, and now I believe it to be completely obvious. McCain's speech at the RNC (which I did watch at great personal discomfort) was full of Bush rhetoric and people apparently do not recognize this. John McCain is no longer a maverick and Sarah Palin is still just an attempt by the Republican elite to pander to the independent/undecided voters. There is nothing special about this ticket. They are just party politicians doing the job of the Republican Party.

I will conclude this post with two more videos by way of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Again, Comedy Central proves itself as the only news network with the ability to point out fallacy in politics or the media. Comedy Central and The Daily Show, the most respectable news organization in the United States... pathetic.