McCain's Camelot
As I stood in a packed room precariously balanced on a chair at nine o'clock on a Tuesday morning, listening to Senator John McCain speak, I had only one question: Why is this man not on the presidential ballot next month? It takes a pretty special individual to get Dartmouth students out of bed this early, and that is what we had in our presence. John McCain, a proud conservative, got so many people -- including myself, who openly disagrees with him on many issues -- to support him and his cause. His campaign and his ideals transcend targeted tax cuts and special funding programs which the nominees for the presidency base their campaigns on. He was campaigning to change politics, and to give people what they wanted -- a government that they could trust was looking after their interests, not only the interests of the rich and well-connected. He bucked the trend of increased political apathy and drew people that never before had an interest in politics to the polls.McCain accomplished this by talking to people honestly and directly. His now famous "Straight Talk Express" bus criss-crossed the primary contested states as he spread his message of reform and public service. He not only inspired voters, but also the media. He was open and frank with them, and by doing so he earned their respect and thus was portrayed in a tremendously positive light by them. The media of course loved the story, an American war hero and trusted senator campaigning to end the abuses in Washington and inspire a generation to "causes greater than self." It is in so many ways similar to the story of John F. Kennedy. Unfortunately, for now at least, my generation will not have their JFK in the White House. We will not be told on the third Monday of January to "ask not what your country to do for you, ask what you can do for your country." Instead, we will be told about targeted tax relief and ambiguous foreign policy objectives. We will have a leader who runs away from the tough choices so as not to lose percentage points in the overnight polls.