Mr. McCain's Heroes
By Paul Lyons
There is nothing more perplexing and dramatic these days, save for the economy, than the US Presidential race. So many twists and turns it leaves a lot of stuff for the op-eds. (One of my favorites is by Friedman in the New York Times where he goes into modern notions of patriotism and taxation.) The debates have been a place to hear the usually stump speeches but also to see the candidates in action and at times thinking on their feet. In the last debate John McCain declared that two of his heroes where Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, two Republicans from Republican parties of very different eras and character. I then began to think – who would Theodore Roosevelt or Abe Lincoln favor in this election?
Theodore Roosevelt was a fascinating man who was so many things it is impossible to go into his life story here. Needless to say he was a scholar and author of over 30 books, and of course a “Rough Rider” and an adventurer with a river named after him in Brazil. He also happens to be the youngest of presidents. In 1902, after the assignation of McKinley he became president at the age of 42. How Republicans bring up Obama’s age as a shortcoming and in the same breath claim their young Presidential heroes seems nothing short of hypocritical to me.
The early John McCain, the one before he became engrossed in the mainstream Republican Party, would have drawn a few parallels with Theodore Roosevelt, but not now. Teddy Roosevelt was indeed his own man and tried to move the Republican Party to a more progressive agenda. Universal Health Care and National Health Insurance were one of his great hopes - this sounds a bit more like the Democratic Party these days, does it not? Fed up with the Republican Party he formed the Bull Moose Party for a failed attempt at another term as President. If one wants to find a person who was his own man and called it like he saw it, go no further.
While McCain will suspend his campaign for a few days to sit at meetings in Washington, one does not see him taking such bold moves of integrity. He now is a rather bitter old looking fellow, pleading for support as though by feeling sorry for him, we should vote for him.
So all in all, I think that in may ways Obama would get Theodore Roosevelt’s vote. True, Roosevelt was a complete war monger but Roosevelt believed in the self made man and would value Obama’s amazing life story; starting from humble beginnings to become a scholar and Senator would be in Obama’s favor. Roosevelt’s travels to Africa and around the world would no doubt also pull him towards Obama though many of Roosevelt’s writings, seen though today’s lens would seem quite racist. But most of all, Theodore Roosevelt would vote for Obama because as in his case, he is a young man of substance with intelligence and vision.
Now Abraham Lincoln would no doubt cast his vote for Obama. The man who freed slaves and brought the United States though the a nasty civil war would surely see that the seeds he planted more than 150 years before finally come to fruition. Like Obama, he was a lawyer who started in state government. Like Obama, Lincoln was a man who was often in the political center on many issues of the day.
But why I think both Roosevelt and Lincoln, two of McCain’s heroes would not vote for McCain, but instead vote for Obama is because of words. Both men valued words. One cannot imagine McCain writing something like the Gettysburg Address or giving a great Theodore Roosevelt speech. So I say, check the voter rolls in Florida and make sure there are not any suspicious Abe’s and Theodore’s on the list. I know how their votes would go.
Add Comments +
|
 |
|
RECENT ESSAYS:
By Paul Lyons
August - 2010
Mad World by Gary Jules
8/15/2010 9:20:31 PM
May - 2010
Exclusive Interview with Mary Anne
5/16/2010 1:34:37 PM
Photos from 2010 New Orleans Jazz Fest
5/16/2010 1:15:56 PM
February - 2010
Dear Garrison Keillor
2/6/2010 12:29:58 PM
November - 2009
Warren Miller's 60th Film, Dynasty - A Review
11/22/2009 10:18:29 AM
October - 2009
The 2009 Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival Awards
10/5/2009 5:37:55 PM
September - 2009
The Summer Report
9/4/2009 1:39:35 PM
Duboce Bikeway Mural
9/4/2009 1:35:47 PM
April - 2009
Weather Report
4/3/2009 7:47:32 PM
March - 2009
Coit Tower
3/1/2009 12:14:05 PM
February - 2009
The Definitive Guide to Comcast High Speed Internet Cable Modem Installation
2/14/2009 10:12:39 AM
January - 2009
The Sporting Scene
1/20/2009 9:47:24 PM
November - 2008
Cabeza de Vaca Stumbles West
11/23/2008 2:57:14 PM
October - 2008
10 Reasons to Vote for Obama
10/28/2008 8:15:42 PM
» Mr. McCain's Heroes
10/10/2008 11:18:05 PM
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass
10/10/2008 4:21:49 PM
September - 2008
The Pit Bull with Lipstick
9/8/2008 8:49:20 PM
August - 2008
Escape to Wisconsin
8/18/2008 8:05:52 PM
Duck and Cover Drills
8/15/2008 10:23:12 AM
May - 2008
The Free Press
5/21/2008 10:37:19 PM
April - 2008
Spring in SF
4/11/2008 11:28:29 PM
February - 2008
1,192,809
2/16/2008 11:21:15 AM
Stolen Car
2/9/2008 8:55:01 AM
December - 2007
One of My Favorite Armpits
12/5/2007 10:12:57 PM
November - 2007
Remembering Opa
11/16/2007 10:56:31 PM
Ocean Beach Photos
11/6/2007 10:26:23 PM
October - 2007
Johnnie Gibbson's Hammer
10/12/2007 7:17:55 AM
July - 2007
The Man From Planet Earth
7/29/2007 9:02:20 AM
June - 2007
The Slanted Door
6/30/2007 8:15:04 AM
Castle Peak California
6/8/2007 12:31:31 PM
May - 2007
Grand View Park
5/22/2007 8:45:58 AM
April - 2007
The Oldest Bar in Nevada
4/12/2007 8:10:10 AM
March - 2007
The de Young Museum
3/29/2007 9:57:58 AM
Locked Out
3/22/2007 9:06:01 PM
February - 2007
Monday Jazz
2/27/2007 4:26:35 PM
Ocean Beach
2/19/2007 8:39:04 AM
Life in The Sunset
2/16/2007 11:14:47 AM
|
ABOUT THE PELICAN CAFE |
PRIVACY POLICY |
PASSWORD HELP |
LOG OUT
