John McCain Tribute

John McCain's concession speech was the finest moment of his campaign; he finally had nothing to lose. As he addressed the noiseless crowd we all saw a John McCain we remember -- the one who would have run with a Democrat, Joe Lieberman, just to show the country what unity could mean. I'm reminded of the scene from Hook where a Lost Boy presses the wrinkles out of an aged Peter Pan's (Robin Williams) face until he exclaims "Oh, there you are Peter." There you are John.

I've always resented the effect an election has on the candidate. It forces the candidate to be someone he or she isn't -- or at least to bend his or her image to something that the electorate wants to see. The truly genuine candidate cannot be elected. We selfishly want them to tell us only what we want to hear -- and they do, though it sometimes costs their soul.

John McCain finally had the weight off his shoulders so that he could tell his constituency something they didn't want to hear, but needed to hear anyways. "I urge all Americans who supported me" he said, "to join me in not just congratulating [Obama], but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together."

The periodic boos in the arena at the mention of the resented victor seemed to make Sen. McCain uncomfortable with the supporters he had been leading only minutes before. Those boos were fueled by a long, and often dirty campaign that left few without mud on their hands. John McCain after losing to Bush in South Carolina commented that there was a special place in hell for those that ran the smear campaign against him there. John's now got his own repentance to deal with, but his gracious speech showed that the McCain we remember is still there and willing to make of this country what he dreamed to make of it through the office of the presidency.

Maybe McCain wasn't fit to be president -- at least not this year (2000 sure would have been nice in many people's opinions) -- but he will remain a honorable Senator. "Country First" doesn't die with an election, and if John McCain is still John McCain, he will be at the forefront of competition and comprimise with the new administration to guarantee that the interests of the nation are the priority in Washington. I'm honored to know that John McCain continues to represent us in the Senate and trust that he will lead his battered forces to reconciliation with the new President Elect.