Dear Senator McCain,
In nine days, the American people will elect the next President of the United States. The time after the election is typically a time for healing, a time for unity, a time for Democrats and Republicans to come together and turn the page on the nation. With President Bush’s 30% approval rating, most of us are looking for the healing to begin as soon as possible. Regardless of whether you win or lose, please do not apologize for your campaign. Please do not try to play the role of healer. It would seem too shallow, too contrived, too unbelievable to be accepted.
You see, regardless of the outcome, we already know who is the real John McCain. You talk about putting your Country first. You’ve said that your experience in Vietnam has tested you. You’ve said that you are a maverick who works across party lines to get things done for the American people. For the last two months, you have been everywhere - on our computers, TV, radio, in our towns. We’ve seen as much of you as our friends. We know your mannerisms, how you dress, how you talk, and much of your speeches- verbatim. We know who you are. We also know about your ethics and integrity. We’ve seen them on the campaign trail. Your philosophy has been simple - do anything possible to win the presidency. You’ve lied to us about things like Sarah Palin being against the bridge in Alaska. You’ve allowed hatred to be spewed against Barack Obama at your rallies. You have not rebuked this anger in any overwhelming way to stop it from occurring in the future. You have have showed a lack of sportsmanship and respect to your rival during your debates by refusing to shaking his hand, not looking at him, and calling him ‘That One’. You utilized the most serious economic crisis in generations solely for political purposes. You demonstrated your desire to gamble with our nation by choosing a candidate who is absolutely not qualified to be president - solely for political reasons and then lied by stating she is the most qualified vice-presidential candidate in a very long time. You utilized tactics such as robocalls that you said were wrong in 2000. You are using loopholes in your own ethics reform bill to stretch your funds.
Yes Senator McCain, we have sufficient exposure to know who you are. You’d like us to believe you are still that maverick, still the man who puts our Country first, and still a man of integrity. After the election, win or lose, you’ll apologize and try to heal. You will claim that it was the heat of battle that caused your actions. But I thought you were ‘battle tested?’ You might blame your advisers for leading you astray. But who is in charge of your campaign? You might even blame Sarah Palin. But who is responsible for that decision? It is in trying times that we learn the true character of an individual. It is then when the best or worst comes out. Unfortunately, the evidence does not present a positive picture. What it shows is someone consumed with themselves and willing to do anything to succeed. You’ve talked about how different you are from George Bush, but your actions are no different from his.
You served our country admirably during Vietnam, and for that our Country is indebted to you. I would not have the fortitude to have endured what you went through. But that event doesn’t define you as a person. Your life, and everything you do, defines who you are. There is much good in your deeds, but your character is flawed. To apologize after the election, would indeed be too shallow, contrived, or unbelievable. For the last couple of weeks I thought you might start to show us a different John McCain - the one you showed at the Republican National Convention. But you didn’t. See, if you had done during the campaign, even at the risk of not being the politically correct decision, you would have still had my respect. You always did in the past. But like the way you ran your campaign, anything you do now will be interpreted as doing it for political reasons. You have destroyed your reputation. If you win the election, you will just be a soulless politician that is no different from all the ones you’ve railed against for years. If you lose, you have absolutely nothing left - no credibility and probably no political career. No Senator McCain, we will not cry for you.
The Liberal Crab