Sometimes you wonder if certain people are familiar with the Mother Tongue. Few politicians, at least since Adlai Stevenson, have been fully literate. So, we cut them some slack. Despite their profession, either most of the media share the same disadvantage or they are exceptionally forgiving to their partners in crime.
Given the quality and relationships of politicians and their media puppy dogs, it isn’t really surprising that one does not call the other on their abuse of the language. Though the majority of the citizenry claims to hold politicians in low esteem, the public seems to accept almost anything uttered from either side of a politician’s mouth.
I may get in trouble for using this first word because I think John McCain holds the copyright. The word in question is maverick. It’s a common word. We all know what it means, don’t we? It appears John McCain doesn’t. It appears that the media and the public don’t either. It may just be that the media are indulging in excessive good manners.
The public, however, appears to accept his characterization, as though he was not abusing our glorious Americanese. Since most people haven’t bothered to look up very many definitions in dictionaries, I will offer explanations instead.
Maverick
A person who is a maverick goes his own way, without regard for others, for their opinions, their concerns, etc. A maverick is therefore not described as a people person. His way is more important than consideration of others. A maverick is unpredictable, as he doesn’t share the same values as the herd (i.e., us).
Leader
A leader must be a people person. A leader understands and usually shares values with those he would lead. A leader must work hard to get people with differing opinions to agree, to compromise, to cooperate. A leader doesn’t always, indeed doesn’t usually, end up leading others to the exact same place as he would prefer. He is willing to sacrifice for others. He is also, necessarily, someone with the skills and talent to get people to come together so they can be led.
The Problem
Is the problem not apparent? Isn’t it obvious that being a maverick and being a leader are mutually exclusive? John McCain claims to be able to be both. Without evidence of truly being either, he claims to be both. Being a maverick is not the same as being a petulant junior high school bully. It is not the same as constantly changing ones position, sometimes in an apparent attempt at securing some advantage to oneself, sometimes for no reason.
The real problem is that John McCain is not a true maverick, nor has he ever shown any hints of leadership. People wanting or needing leadership cannot for long keep up with a ‘leader’ who constantly jerks this way and that.
McCain said in an interview in 2002 that he had no lofty reason for running for the presidency in 2000. He acknowledged that it was pure ambition. Has he ‘got religion’ since 2002? Why should anyone believe him if he did? Where would he lead? Who knows?
Does anyone believe that his first important decision as the Republican nominee gave us the most qualified person available? Fully qualified? Marginally qualified? Hell, she has even congratulated a party convention for its principled stand. That would be espousing seccession from the United States. Where would he lead? Where would she lead?
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