Meghan McCain says what should have become apparent after the paganesque war fiesta at the RNC last week, there’s only one soldier whose service really matters. This morning she told Meridith Viera that “no one knows what war is like other than my family, period.” The other thousands of families with relatives in Iraq and Afghanistan apparently don’t count.
That actually makes perfect sense. During the RNC, the Republican Party spoke about John McCain‘s service dozens of times, as well as his support of the surge in Iraq, but not once did they see fit to mention the 33,000 soldiers still serving in Afghanistan. When it came time to put up a graphic of Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital, the more war for everyone caucus couldn’t tell the difference between the hospital and a middle school in North Hollywood, California. McCain opposed the new G.I. Bill, didn’t show up to vote when the time came, and then took credit for the bill’s passage after the fact. John McCain is a brave man who suffered greatly, but isn’t it time for him to honor other people’s service besides his own?
Meghan McCain was simply giving insight into her father’s thinking. When it comes to service, only John McCain’s sacrifices matter. Therein lies the messianic argument for his candidacy: he suffered for you, so you should make him president.
–A. Serwer
