John McCain's Temporary Insanity

Last year, as the election was winding down, Barack Obama, despite his great victory over Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primaries, was barely ahead of John McCain. The lead he had was the kind that could have easily been overcome in the waning months of the election should a strange fact or rumor have arisen; say, Obama likes to wear pantyhose on cold days (Joe Namath was allowed because he was a stud quarterback).

And then suddenly, John McCain, former POW and war hero almost on par with John Kerry; John McCain, truly great senator and always a man marching to the beat of his drum usually striving for the betterment of our nation, chose a woman, a mother, a governor of a small state with a great view of Russia to be his running-mate.

Today, as we all awaken on this 4th of July, we are barraged not with well-wishes of "thank God for America," as we prepare for family barbecues filled with salads and dogs and burgers and fresh celery cooling in cold water; but, we are all tickled pink by the latest episode of the Sarah Palin saga. In a jittery and stumbling announcement, Ms. Palin, mother, former vice-presidential nominee for the second major party in the greatest nation on the earth, of-late a frequently-seen face in tabloids, announced that she was abandoning the state of Alaska.

Well, poor Alaska I would say, so many scandals in the past year and half, but, I am sure many there are breathing a sigh of relief. And, with all due respect for their "troubles", I am not just sighing with relief. A sigh here just won't express my glee. I want to pour my bowl of blended carrots, pears and apples with a touch of yoghourt over my head, undress, run outside and scream to the rooftops as my heart simply overflows with happiness that John McCain did not win last year.

Imagine

Vice President Sarah Palin is meeting with the head of state for some random, small nation and in a fit of unpredictability, she refuses to come out of the ladies room because one of the reporters dared to question her preparedness for being the VP. "What does your view of Russia have to do with your ability to understand world affairs?" he asks. She stammers, stutters and runs into the bathroom until her really bizarre hubby Todd threatens the reporter leave or else.

"Yo, outta here or else I am going to shove that turbin up your ass."

In the aftermath of this incident, President McCain would have had to spend months repairing the damage done by her Alaska-ness's bizarre, emotional and completely unpredictable outburst. Our president would have been baby-sitting this governor of that oh-so-tiny state (not physically so) rather than repairing the damage done to our nation by...let's save that for another blog.

Yet, I don't blame Sarah Palin. I don't think that the sweet and angelic Susan Boyle is crazy. Who wouldn't have slightly cracked under the pressure of the entire world's press running magnifying glasses over you life like a kid over ants on a hot day; a life that before she was chosen to be the VP, before Susan appeared on "Britain's Got Talant", was idealic in its smallness; perfect in its quaintness and one that was truly dedicated to family and friendships (I am being really nice to Sarah Palin here).

John McCain may have had all the qualifications to be president but he failed his party, he failed the nation, he failed himself when he chose Sarah Palin. This blunder, I am sure, is one that probably had been depriving him of sleep ever since he made it. But, time was healing that wound until today, July 4th, 2009, when Sarah Palin so bizarrely told the world she was quitting.

Time Out

Truthfully, I think John McCain should get a time-out on the steps of the Capitol building. The Senate should vote to force him to sit on those steps for one year holding a sign announcing to all the world how he almost put that woman one heart beat away from the presidency. And, at his age, that was a real possibility.

I think the GOP should lose their right to run in major elections for at least 2 years for their complete disrespect for the White House. The so-called honor they had promised to return with W became mere mockery when they put forth that woman as the VP nominee. Made a fool by W in the eyes of the world, and yes, I know, W supporters don't care that the world thought us foolish or stupid for choosing W twice (who needs the world? they say), Sarah Palin would have been the worst thing at the worst time for our nation.

I must go and celebrate the 4th in the rain, as I am sure many will be doing today (wettest summer on record in many parts of the world, global warming anyone?). But, as I wrote yesterday, I today reiterate: thank God that we chose Obama and let freedom ring!

PS: Oh poor republicans, how are you guys going to dig yourselves out from this fiasco? Another major figure from your party self-destructs on the national stage.