And Then There Was One

John McCain. How did it happen that he became the GOP presidential nominee? Personally I like the choice. He's in the middle, he's not divisive like the Bush neo-cons and he will reach across the aisle as evidenced by the McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Bill. So why are all of the "right-wing" pundits so up in arms? Is it because their right-wing is somewhere to the right of Mussolini?

Is it possible that the Rush Limbaughs of the world think that they represent the Republican party? When I hear any of them talk about Ronald Reagan it makes me laugh. Reagan beat the most unpopular incumbent President in the second half of the 20th century by a very slim margin in 1980. He was re-elected four years later in a massive landslide. Why? Because he made the GOP the "big tent" party.

Reagan didn't alienate half the country. He didn't treat the Democrats as though they were idiots. He met regularly with the Speaker of the House, Tip O'Neill, who was the quintessential New England liberal. On more than one occasion I watched the Speaker walk down the White House driveway like an ordinary citizen. He didn't act like he should be chauffeured in a chariot down Constitution Avenue towards the Capitol. And neither did the President. They were men of the people.

I think that's a lesson that John McCain has already learned. He's a decent man who represents and lives the ideals of this country. I think that's what Middle America recognizes. And isn't capturing the middle ground the key to every Presidential election?