McCain's good, but things can be better.

Earlier today, Ralph diaried John McCain's excellent letter protesting Sinclair's unpatriotic censorship (-yes, that's the adjective we should use-) of the upcoming ABC Nightline show. Despite our ideological differences, I have a tremendous amoung of respect for Sen. McCain and sometimes wonder how different the world might be (for now and perhaps the next decade) had he not been a victim of the 2000 Republican smear campaign.

Having said that, however, it's important for us to not forget the clear-headed wisdom demonstrated by those who, unlike McCain and Kerry, from the very beginning saw Bush's war for what it was and have not wavered in their position. Below are exerpts from a piece by Sen. Robert Byrd. For all the helpful criticisms, implicit or explicit, that Sens. Kerry and McCain are making, it's good to be reminded of what all the members of congress should have been saying all along.  Sen. Byrd writes:

"Mission accomplished? The mission in Iraq, as laid out by President Bush and Vice President Cheney, has failed. Even more disturbing, the disdain for international law, and the military bombast of this cocky, reckless Administration have tarnished the beacon of hope and freedom which the United States of America once offered to the world.

How long will America continue to pay the price in blood and treasure of this President's war? How long must the best of our nation's military men and women be taken from their homes to fight this unnecessary war in Iraq? How long must our National Guardsmen be taken from their communities to fight and die in the hot sands in Iraq? How long must the fathers and mothers see their sons and daughters die in a far away land because of President Bush's doctrine of preemptive attack? How long must little children across our land go to sleep at night crying for a daddy or mother far away who may never come home?

President Bush typified the Happy Warrior when he strutted across the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln a year ago this coming Saturday. He was in his glory that day. But on this May 1, we will remember the widows and the orphans that have been made by his fateful decision to attack Iraq; we will be aware of the tears that have been shed for his glory.

How long?"

The entire piece is more of the same, good stuff, as others have noted. For many of us, Sen. Byrd's message is nothing new. And that includes those of us who opposed the war and, yet, would be open to a Kerry-McCain ticket (whether it's realistic, or not) simply because the situation is that desperate and defeating Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld in November is of such dire importance. But perhaps it's because of where such pragmatism leads (i.e. to relative enthusiasm for senators who voted in favor of authorizing Bush to use force) that the wisdom of those who hold elected office and opposed the war should always be kept in mind. It's a glimpse at how different things might've been.