Go Away, John, Go Away

John McCain just spent several of the first minutes of his speech at the republican convention stating that the democrats believe in multi-state (international) collaboration as key to the war against terror. He then went on to say that this is what Republicans believe in. Liar. Liar. Liar. Empty, superficial liar. John McCain didn't just fall on his sword in NYC tonight, he used it to cut out his own integrity. Republicans have *not once* agreed that international help is required in the war on terror--if anything, they boast (wrongly) that the United States doesn't need anyone's help. Well, less so nowadays, but during the initial days of the Iraq war, this was the credo waved about like a flag. John McCain has admirable qualities (even though he's a Republican), but tonight, he obviated them all. He justifies the war on Iraq based on the evil Saddam--implying that Democrats were blind and believed him to be innocuous and harmless. This view is, at best, disengenuous; at worst, it's a blatant attack on people that he *knows* do not believe this, and is a bald, obsequious defense of his cronies. Cronies who, in general, don't care too much for his involvement in the Republican party. By aligning the war on terror with the war in Iraq, McCain didn't just give lip service to the lies, mistakes, and misrepresentations of the administration, he justified them in no uncertain terms. That, and he ignored inconvenient details. Like, why not exhaust all alternatives to war? Like, why not get as much international support as possible? Like, why not make sure that all information is clean as a whistle? Like, why not admit that things were none too well planned and that the war is also about oil? Everyone knows this. It's the big not-well-kept secret. What happened to your steel? Your resolve? Your integrity. The Bush Team was wrong in doing what they did to you in South Carolina, and it is the same thing they do to the Democrats and, in general, the American people. But it's fine; best to leave John alone, let him go his own way--the way of an apologist for those he used to be at odds with. Goodbye John, and best of riddance to you in your new role as useful shill for a hyper conservative party that simply trotted you out to help them win reelection. Go away, John, sleep well in the knowledge that you have sold your soul to the very people who avoid you in daily political life and trot you out for the most cynical of purposes. Go away. A friend of John Kerry? Hardly. A brave American? Not anymore. Go away, John, just go away.