Future History Mantras

It must be harder to be John McCain than it is to be Barack Obama right now. Senator McCain is undoubtedly synapse-chewing his way through the hours as he meets with his staff and Sarah P., watching image downloads of Obama and Saturday Night Live, with the volume turned down, per Mrs. Palin's request. McCain certainly gives the Governor pep talks before rallies - because he's just so darn proud of her - and probably reminds her about the Gipper, ironically portrayed by a the same man who later played a President. After all, it's about winning, Sweetie. However, underneath all the tough guy glamor, McCain is more aware of what it means to lose - especially this time.

I think if one is a soldier at heart, the word "defeat" just won't do. There is no losing, in the world of Senator McCain. It is a dimension where the phrase "the surge is working" is the new battle cry of Mission Unaccomplished, a strategy we wouldn't need had the war gone as expected after it was announced as won on the deck of a battleship four years prior.

Not only can McCain not lose for himself, he can't lose for the Republicans. It he loses it means that the majority of people in this country have regained their rightful power of choice. A Republican loss - a McCain loss - will be a painful coup de grâce to the biggest slide in approval ratings since the Titanic.

A man like John McCain refuses to accept failure, despite its inherent lessons. And if he does fumble the ball just as the time clock goes off, he imagines that he will become the man he fears - the man who lost the big game - the man who lost to Barack Obama.

The man who lost to Barack Obama...the man who lost to Barack Obama...

I can't really decide if I believe in the power of manifestation or not. I was raised in a positive American bubble of a town and therefore grew up believing that if I wanted something enough...well, you know the rest. And clearly there are some things in my life that would seem to be powerful manifestations of some of my aspirations at least or is my life purely a result of choices I've made to ensure I would feel this way now? I like to stay open to the idea that it is a little of both.

So, I see it before me - a headline - and there's a big picture of John McCain taken while he is thanking his supporters for their hard work, all smiles and handshakes with the obligatory pat on the back reserved for those needing a bit extra. Despite the pleasant photo, text looms large across the top of the paper - "Obama Wins!" - and beneath John's photo it says, with a telling error - for the sake of detail, the turbo spice of visualizations - "John McCane thanks supporters."

And as the spin cycle progresses post-election, I see news programs where this very vision is discussed: The Anchor states, "John McCain has conceded the election to Barack Obama and is planning to spend some time with his family..."

I really like my world of Future History, brought about by a mysterious power, secondary to the one called "voting."

I want this version of reality because we are currently being asked to consider a ruse once again - they are doing this and spouting the most despicable fodder, revealing their shortcomings in a way that would leave David Niven speechless while presenting an Oscar. Despite the McCain campaign's best efforts, we know there is not much difference between McCain and Bush, no matter how much they squawk about their "Maveric," a term eerily similar to the "Cowboy" moniker of W.

Perhaps the "real" American voters only like "real" American heroes who do not lose. Heroes in the classic style - Cowboys, Soldiers - Gippers - the toy surprise in every all-American Happy Meal.

But I have a different fantasy. Or is it a manifestation? Or is it a choice? Whatever it is, in my future world, McCain is the man who lost to Barack Obama...the man who lost to Barack Obama...the man who lost to Barack Obama...

McTurity Level

Is it me or is John McCain creepy? Watching last night's final presidential debate, I wanted to focus on what the candidates put forth as their policies. Instead, I became distracted by the body language and mannerisms of the Republican on stage.

Not only was he strangely emotional during the debate, he seemed to be ready to explode at any moment, nervously glancing around the room often as if he were desperately looking for support in the crowd. Occasionally while Senator Obama spoke, McCain would interrupt with laughter, snorts or heavy sighs. I watched the debate on CNN, one of the networks employing a split-screen format. This is where it really became interesting - McCain, twice by my account, actually slid back into second grade behavior and rolled his eyes. Was he unaware that we were watching his reactions to Obama's answers?

Lets be fair - Obama is a politician. He didn't sell me on many of his answers. No politician seems to answer questions directly - maybe here and there - but in general, the Illinois Senator is hard pressed when asked to be specific about his policies. In reality, no politician can be specific because they all know, as do we, that there is no way to tell if their policies or plans will work until they are tested in real time.

The system and its problems have become so complex, anyone who tells you they know anything for sure is lying - and this is what John McCain does. He constantly says that he can fix it - he can win the war - he can find Osama Bin Laden - he can do it all - but never tells us how. His twitchy aggression and rhetoric, with a dash of the occasional reptilian-like darting of his pointy tongue - illustrate a larger problem that is rarely addressed in the press - is John McCain mentally stable? Or is his lack of maturity a separate red flag that the American people should heed?

My message to John McCain is this - I agree with some of your plans and I would say I even prefer some to Senator Obama's. However, Sir, your failing is not so much in your record (although Obama does have an excellent point about your decidedly un-maveric voting in line with President Bush over the last eight years), but more in the very un-presidential way in which your present yourself. You seemed irritated and emotional last night, you were rude and immature and made untrue accusations (a nice way of saying, "You lied"). Given the frightening state of the union, I am afraid we need a steadier hand.