On today's DKos rec list, teacherken has a diary praising Eugene Robinson's column in today's Washington Post, "McCain as Messiah". I saw Robinson's piece before I went to bed last night, and thought Robinson's piece was a compelling indictment of McCain, but an even stronger rebuke to those claiming that Obama or the Democrats are operating under a Messiah delusion.
I still think that's so, and I want to recommend both the article and teacherken's diary. However, as I thought about it more, it occurred to me that the more accurate analogy is not "McCain as Messiah', but rather McCain as a latter-day Saint Paul.
If you're not familiar enough with Christian theology to know the story of Saint Paul, you're hardly alone -- I'm a Jewish-American, and I had to google "Road to Damascus" some time ago, when I heard that metaphor used. Briefly, here's the deal: Paul was once Saul of Tarsus (at least he's referred to that way in one of the Books of the Christian Bible, though there are some questions raised about his name in the historical record). He was a Jewish scholar who described himself as a frequent persecutor of the early Christians. He was on the road to Damascus, looking to capture the members of a Christian outpost, when he was knocked from his horse to the ground by a a blinding flash of light. According to the Scripture, Acts 9:1-9-20, Saul/Paul "fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" After learning the truth about Jesus (and his own transgressions), he is told to "Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do."
That story reminds me an awful lot of the one that John McCain told the country about himself as he stood on that rostrum in -- wait for it -- St. Paul.
Think about it -- Other than begging for our votes out of sympathy for his suffering or out of respect for his courage, isn't the supposed point of McCain's convention speech to convince us that he had a "Road to Damascus" conversion while in the Hanoi Hilton?
He claimed to have discovered real love of country, substituting selflessness for prior selfishness, while in the POW prison. It seems to me that he was describing the kind of conversion that St. Paul had on the "Road to Damascus", even including blinding lights. Maybe the lights weren't heavenly, but the effect was similar, no? Substitute "love of Jesus" for "love of country", and it's the same story.
The biblical St. Paul was on his way to annihilate the Christians in Damascus, when he was laid low from his high horse -- and had his conversion moment, finding the truth that was greater than himself. Likewise the recently anointed St. John of Arizona was on his way to wantonly kill a bunch of complete strangers from high atop his A4-E Skyhawk, when he was laid low. Like Saul/Paul, McCain was struck by a blinding flash and "fell to the Earth". While in that lowly position, McCain discovered his own truth, finding a truth and cause greater than himself.
Eventually, John "arose" and went "into the city" to learn what he "must do". Apparently, John was to learn the teachings of Ronald Reagan, and deliver them unto us. And he didn't just go into any city -- he went into St. Paul itself. He couldn't have chosen a more fitting or ironic setting himself. John went to St.. Paul to tell us of his own "Road to Damascus" conversion -- to convince us he's preaching the Gospel truth.
teacherken's diary made a compelling point about the way McCain uses his own mythology about all the tortures he endured for our sake. McCain is trying to convince us that he is to be trusted -- because he showed he was willing to lay down his life for his brother. This shows the depth of his love for America and Americans. And, it does, until you shamelessly talk about it as a selling point, wherein it loses its original significance of selflessness. It becomes more "Look at me. I'm selfless. Reward me with the Presidency." So, the message isn't even just "trust me" -- it starts to sound like "my suffering earned this". Whatever McCain learned in that prison camp, it wasn't humility.
It's thick with irony, and not just because McCain and the GOP are suggesting that Obama and the Democrats are the ones operating under the Messianic delusion. One could argue, as Eugene Robinson does, that McCain is presenting himself as a modern Messiah. I think the irony is even thicker -- McCain went to St. Paul Minn. to present himself as a latter day Saint Paul, or Saint John, back from Damascus, or Hanoi, armed now only with love for his brothers and preaching the gospel as it was taught to him, following his revelation.
Saint John McCain of Arizona -- that's how he was presented to as -- a modern day Saint Paul, addressing the nation, ironically enough, from St. Paul, Minnesota. Not the messiah, but a disciple newly converted -- an apostle, preaching the gospel. St. John McCain, or maybe the Apostle John McCain? It's not just amusing -- it's cynically manipulative. Maybe Americans won't recognize the parallels, but they will respond to the story because it's one they've been taught as children. The response is visceral, and that's what McCain is counting on. False Messiah? Naahh. False prophet.