We know everyone sat home this weekend to watch John McCain’s commencement speech at Liberty University. Riveting stuff, that C-SPAN programming. We were really hung over from a harsh night out Friday, so we watched it during a re-run.
When McCain announced he would deliver the commencement speech at Liberty University, the genesis of Jerry Falwell’s Evangelical operations, he drew heavy moderate-voter criticism for seeming to flip-flop on his long-standing political ideals. It wasn’t too long ago when McCain blasted Falwell by labelling him as an “agent of intolerance,” yet now he’d dump the moderate vote to gain favor with the Evangelicals for the 2008 nominations. Turncoat! Hypocrite! etc. etc.
But rather than praise Falwell’s crusade against those who don’t follow his brand of Christianity, McCain used the speech to glorify the rights of Americans to disagree with each other on the ways we all live our lives:
We have our disagreements, we Americans…over the social responsibilities we accept in accord with the dictates of our conscience and our faithfulness to the God we pray to; over our role in the world and how to defend our security interests and values in places where they are threatened. These are important questions; worth arguing about. We should contend over them with one another. It is more than appropriate, it is necessary that even in times of crisis, especially in times of crisis, we fight among ourselves for the things we believe in. It is not just our right, but our civic and moral obligation.
Completely ignoring the issue of gay marriage–which, in that room, was probably best, as he will vote against the anti-gay Constitutional marriage amendment–he instead focused on the conflicts in Sudan, and America’s obligation to become involved (which we haven’t yet). He also defended his support of the war in Iraq, but did so on the grounds we all have the “right and obligation” to voice dissent. From the Washington Post:
McCain added that it is the “right and obligation” of those who oppose the war to speak out against it. “Americans should argue about this war,” he said. “It has cost the lives of nearly 2,500 of the best of us. It has taken innocent life. It has imposed an enormous financial burden on our economy. At a minimum, it has complicated our ability to respond to other looming threats.”
Honestly, we have no idea what to think of Senator McCain. It’s pretty clear he is the front-runner for the 2008 Republican nomination, as many believe he was robbed in 2000 in the first place. The Log Cabin Republicans are undoubtedly doing backflips at the thought of landing a Republican in office who doesn’t actively work to erase the gays from society.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
But will the rest of the community fare well, if he beats Hillary Clinton the 2008 Democratic nominee? Will he stand up for his previously-moderate ideals, or will he become yet another puppet of the Right Wing? We were horrified when he joined forces with Falwell, but now…the jury is out. Nevertheless, things couldn’t be any worse than they are now.
Text of Falwell’s speech here [Liberty.edu]
McCain Reconnects With Liberty [WashPost]
Dave G
McCain is not nearly as moderate as he would like you to believe. Just look at his voting record if you don’t believe it. It is one of the most conservative in the Senate. (Paul Kurgman recently wrote some revealing op-eds regarding him in the Times. Check them out.)
As for his refusal to sign up for the anti-gay marriage legislation, that is all about his extremely conservative view of federalism (the extent to which the federal government should be able to legislate “local” concerns such as marriage). It has little or nothing to do with any purported support of gays.
Hephaestion
John McCain is a traitor and a two-faced liar who is as far right as they come.
The ONLY reason people think he is a moderate is because he LOOKS like a nice guy, and has a smile that doesn’t SEEM as smarmy as rightwingers usually have. But he IS a rightwinger.
He betrayed Mark Bingham, the gay hero of Flight 93, of whom McCain himself said he saved his life b y bringing that plane down. But since he said that at Bingham’s memorial service, KNOWING that a gay man had helped to save his life, he has done NOTHING but cozy up with anti-gay forces every step of the way. A McCain presidency would be AS BAD as the Bush presidency.
slinyc
McCain is just another fucking politician, pandering to whomever is next on his daily agenda. I.e. – He is speaking at The New School’s commencement at Mad Sq Garden this Friday. Liberty and The New School? As polar opposites as you can get…