Times columnist David Brooks's spoke to the conservative Young America's Foundation the other day on C-Span. Smart guy. He seemed to get a little teary over John McCain. It sounded more like a eulogy–that the foregone conclusion had taken place, McCain had lost and his era had passed from the stage. He quoted an old column of his: “You know, there’s really only one great man running for president this year, and that’s McCain.”
Brooks also quoted from an off-the-record conversation he'd had with "the current president," noting, "I don't think he would mind." Brooks had asked Bush what a president needs most, "and instead of giving a cynical answer" about the candidates, Brooks said, "he talked about families." How important they are to being president, you never get away from that background. "I do think McCain has that."
It was an insight into the father-loving conservative mind. McCain comes from a great family, yes, but will his old mother or the faith of his fathers really be such a bulwark to him in the White House? I wonder. By implication, Brooks was saying that Obama's broken family background leaves character questions about him–as it obviously weakened Bill Clinton's character.
This is reductive and nostalgic. Yes, Obama arose from the blown dust of the four corners of the earth; but he has built a strong family from the looks of it. And yes, that's important. But there's little question he's a great man. He's a great writer, and a man of uncommon intelligence and presence. His accomplishments so far are staggering, going back to his youth; though yes he's arrogant and cold.
McCain's a great man, too. I changed parties eight years ago to vote for him. He took a period of enormous suffering and transformed it into a commitment to service. I love his strength of character and his sense of humor. In my one brief interview with him, I challenged McCain to do as I had done, and put party aside to stand up for what was right–run all the way to the fall in 2000. Of course McCain didn't accept that challenge; but that was his moment, and what did he do, he folded right into Bush's agenda and pursued a tragic course in the Middle East. McCain's tire gauge stunt is yet another demonstration of the fact, he doesn't have the mind to be president. And as for family life, he left his first wife for his image of the alluring beauty– probably the girl he never thought he could get as a midshipman. I don't judge him for that; I'm a guy. But Cindy's scary. Rumor has it that they don't get along that well.
Bottom line: families are complicated; and there are two great men running for president this year. One's the future, one's the past.
