McCain Sets the World Right

The Greeks had an idea that the tragic act was so great that it disturbed the universe and threw the world off balance. Only justice, retribution and sacrifice could set the world spinning smoothly. Once Oedipus finds the perpetrator of regicide—ironically himself—he removes himself from his ill-gotten throne (and bed). Only then does he drought end. Shakespeare picks up the theme. There is indeed “something rotten in the state of Denmark.” Hamlet’s killing of the usurper King Claudius is more than revenge; it is justice. Denmark is saved, though Hamlet is lost.

The world is always awaiting justice, and a small portion was delivered yesterday in South Carolina, when John McCain finally got his due. At the place of his previous and most grievous defeat, he found redemption. It was not John Kerry who was the first great victim of “Swiftboating.” Senator Max Cleland was sunk by vile lies before Kerry, and McCain before Cleland was destroyed by smears.

Across the political spectrum, we can all have a sense that part of the universe has been set aright. Even if I could never vote for McCain, I do admire his character, and I celebrate that he got the victory that was so long postponed. McCain truly would rather be right than be president—that’s part of why he literally stuck to his guns regarding the “surge.” This is so refreshing, when you consider that Romney is willing to be anything in order to be president.

However, we liberals believe that in 2000 McCain was not the only victim of the fiercely partisan Rove smear machine. We still believe that Al Gore was fairly and legally elected to the presidency and that Joe Lieberman should have been the Vice President.

There is a rumor circulating that John McCain might, if nominated, reach across the aisle and pick former Democrat (still caucusing with the Democrats) Joe Lieberman. It is a move, not likely to endear him to the hard right, but they already do not love him. In fact they tried to Swiftboat him again by sending out robocalls claiming that he had betrayed his fellow POWs in Vietnam. No lie is too outrageous for partisans on both sides.

However, as distrustful of McCain as the hard right is, they are probably too smart—and too afraid of Hillary—to run a serious third party candidate.

While the reach across the aisle would not much of a reach, the symbolic value would be enormous. I know that it would not satisfy or attract hardcore social liberals such as I; it would be a nice gesture and put a little bit more of the universe back into balance.

Hamlet must get his reward in heaven. Oedipus finds redemption at Colonus. McCain and Lieberman, while not my personal policy picks, would seem to embody certain kind of karmic justice.