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Former co-architect of the religious right backs Obama...hits McCain - HARD!
The following is the reason I could not be a writer. I just don't get down into the deep thinking Frank Schaeffer (or any other writer for that matter) gets to. Read this exerpt from his article in the Huffington Post:
It is no accident that McCain's memoir is titled Faith of My Fathers. Faith is the operative word here, faith as in religion, faith as in blind belief in things that reason might refute.
On the cover of McCain's memoir are pictures of McCain's military ancestors and of course Senator McCain as a young military man. To McCain and his family, military service is a religion, a self-defining way of life, the question and the answer.
McCain's reasons for keeping America at war in Iraq are religious, the expression of the cult of the warrior -- the liturgy of combat. No matter what war we were in right now McCain would say "stay the course" and "on to victory!" He'd do this in the same way that any priest would want to finish a liturgy, mass or service once begun, no matter what disturbances might threaten to interrupt it.
McCain is dangerous because he wants to do what is "honorable" according to voices the rest of us -- including ordinary sane men and women in uniform -- don't hear. McCain isn't driven to do what is good for America, or even good for our military men and women. For instance, he is against the new GI Bill that would give fair educational benefits to our men and women. McCain doesn't want to give them anything that might entice them to do anything but go to war, again and again and again. McCain serves the warrior god of his warrior ancestors, not America's best interests or even the interests of our soldiers.
McCain doesn't want to let down his grandfather, John Sidney McCain or his father, the admiral. Morality has nothing to do with it. America has nothing to do with it. Iraq as nothing to do with it. McCain is keeping faith with ghosts
Comments (8)
I agree. McCain is out of touch and does seem to live in a fantasy world filled with platitudes.
We need problem solvers and people who can work with others. We have big problems to solve.
Another "faith based" ideologue like Bush is definitely a terrible idea.
May 19, 2008 4:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
McCain has years of experience. Right. Problem is, what he has done (during his years of experience) is wrong, stupid, ignorant, and dishonest. He has appeased the right-wing religious nut-cases; he has shown he wants to bomb countries (and makes jokes about it) and while he previously said he would talk to Hammas because they were elected, now he says Obama is naive for doing what McCain said he would do before he was running for prez. We really don't need another dope who will do anything to be president.
We need a leader who has shown judgement, and intelligence; just putting in years making bad decisions doesn't really count as "good" experience in my book.
May 19, 2008 7:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
I was a bit surprised by this excerpt. Not disappointed, mind you, but I was expecting something else. I'm still hoping for the leaders of the next generation, not-in-the-pocket-of-the-GOP evangelicals to take a stand for Obama. Certainly strikes me as plausible, and would go a long way toward beating back the Muslim rumors and meme that Obama only connects with godless cosmopolitans. Take this quote from Rick Warren on Blitzer in late 2006:
BLITZER: What did you think of Barack Obama?
WARREN: He's an amazing man. I think...
BLITZER: Do you think he's got it? In other words, he's got that potential like so many other presidential prospects, to be the president of the United States?
WARREN: I think he does.
BLITZER: Because?
WARREN: I think he has good character. I think both Sam Brownback and Barack Obama -- the reason I invited them both, first, they'll tell you the truth. They're not just going to beat around the bush. They'll tell you what they believe. And I appreciate that.
Second, they're men of civility. And I'm so tired of the rudeness we've got in our society where people are just mean to each other. We need to return to civility, which says, I treat you with respect even if I violently disagree with you. That we've lost the "civil" in civilization.
BLITZER: Are the American people ready for an African-American president?
WARREN: Oh, I think so.
BLITZER: Your congregants, what are you hearing?
WARREN: Well, I think that America's ready for leadership any time. I think Sam Brownback, who was there, I think Barack Obama, I think there's a lot of people in the field who are good leaders who could easily lead America with -- because they're clear.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0612/15/sitroom.02.html
What we need is more of this! Because, despite the latest slanders, with Obama you've got someone who doesn't just talk the talk, but also walks the walk. And McCain certainly doesn't have universal support within the evangelical community...
May 19, 2008 7:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think you've confused Frank (the son) with Francis (the father). The son has been saying coherent thing all year. The father has been deceased for more than 20 years.
May 19, 2008 8:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
I've been hearing rumblings over the past year or so about younger white evangelicals being in play for the Democrats this cycle. Something about identifying more with social justice, global warming, and the environment than abortion and gay-bashing. I think we'll hear more about this.
These'll be interesting times.
May 19, 2008 8:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
That would explain McCain's sudden interest in global warming and the environment…
May 19, 2008 9:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Frank Shaeffer may have taken this position in part because McCain has shown in the past that he understands that the Religious Right is a threat -- Obama thinks we can unite with them.
May 19, 2008 11:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Imagine how much he will love starting WWIII.
May 20, 2008 1:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
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