So Barack Obama has gone out of his way to reach out to Sen. John McCain, his opponent throughout months of bitter campaigning. In a replacement for the churlishness of the traditional post-election political rivalry, last night Obama hosted a dinner in McCain's honor, one in a series that also celebrated Colin Powell and Joe Biden, or in other words, a Republican, an independent, and a Democrat. The president-elect's remarks included this:
On this night, we are glad that the days of rebuttals and campaigning are for now behind us. There is no doubt that throughout the summer and the fall, John and I were fierce competitors who engaged in a vigorous and sometimes heated debate over the issues of the day. And in a great democracy, this debate is both healthy and necessary.
But what is even healthier and more necessary is the recognition that after the season of campaigning has ended, each of us in public life has a responsibility to usher in a new season of cooperation built on those things we hold in common. Not as Democrats. Not as Republicans. But as Americans.
And there are few Americans who understand this need for common purpose and common effort better than John McCain. It is what he has strived for and achieved throughout his life. It is built into the very content of his character.
I could stand here and recite the long list of John's bipartisan accomplishments. Campaign finance reform. Immigration. The Patients' Bill of Rights. All those times he has crossed the aisle and risked the ire of his party for the good of his country. And yet, what makes John such a rare and courageous public servant is not the accomplishments themselves, but the true motivation behind them.
It's safe to say that McCain is a man with many personalities. The one we saw this summer and fall was very disquieting, to say the least. But to a certain extent this is a down payment on the promises that Obama would run a different kind of government. And there certainly has been another McCain who could be a very useful ally to Obama's agenda. Say what you will about both men's sterling aspects; both have also proven themselves capable of seizing political opportunities, and it's a good thing they seem to see that opportunity in mutual cooperation. A miffed McCain could have been a vocal and problematic opponent in the Senate for the new administration.
And now, off to the inauguration...
-- Tim Fernholz
