Lurking Beneath The Surface

I don't know McCain. Contrary to the assertion by the mainstream media, I had never heard of Senator John McCain until 2000. The notion that all voters know him is not only a misnomer but suggests that the American public follows all Congressional persons as closely as they do the President. Bob Herbert in Saturday’s New York Times, wrote an Op-Ed piece depicting how voters need to “get to know” both Obama and McCain but he focused more on the fumbling and bumbling of John McCain and how we really do not know him.

Very true indeed. Senator John McCain has earned his maverick badge by asserting himself as a different kind of Republican who sees climate change as a problem and will occasionally vote for a progressive bill. However, the John McCain of 2000, from what I observed then, is much different from the McCain now. Having shoved aside his views, McCain has embraced the conservative fringes of his party and adopted the viewpoints of the sitting President, thereby revealing as aspect of who he truly is. John McCain asserted this week that “Barack Obama would rather lose a war…..” This line of attack seems to be tantamount to the McCain campaign and its surrogates.

How can the public not notice all the McCain gaffes and stumbles? Partly because of the declaration by the McCain camp that Obama is receiving too much t.l.c. from the media. Not so says this voter. I have yet to see any truth about McCain. His gaffes are glossed over while Obama’s are dissected and examined with a fine tooth comb. The notion that being in Washington makes you immune to media criticism or scrutiny (as is happening in the case of McCain) is both preposterous and stunning. All of the major networks have done a remarkable job of purporting that Obama is new to the scene and we need to know and see who he really is.

I guess the media sees fit to assess the political arena whenever it feels like it. The voting public will probably never see what is lurking beneath John McCain’s surface. With his harsh humor and 95% voting record with President George Bush, I scratch my head at the maverick averment. Voters are getting a glimpse of what is lurking behind Barack Obama but how can we see what is behind John McCain if everything is collaboratively covered up?