Betsy's Page - Occasionally, John McCain does something that reminds me of why I first found him so attractive as a political figure when I first became aware of him. This letter to Barack Obama is one of those moments. Apparently, Obama had told McCain that he wanted to work together on a bipartisan proposal for lobbying reform. But now Obama has backed out in favor of using the issue as a campaigning device for the Democrats this campaign season.
Dear Senator Obama:
I would like to apologize to you for assuming that your private assurances to me regarding your desire to cooperate in our efforts to negotiate bipartisan lobbying reform legislation were sincere. When you approached me and insisted that despite your leadership’s preference to use the issue to gain a political advantage in the 2006 elections, you were personally committed to achieving a result that would reflect credit on the entire Senate and offer the country a better example of political leadership, I concluded your professed concern for the institution and the public interest was genuine and admirable.
Thank you for disabusing me of such notions with your letter to me dated February 2, 2006, which explained your decision to withdraw from our bipartisan discussions. I’m embarrassed to admit that after all these years in politics I failed to interpret your previous assurances as typical rhetorical gloss routinely used in politics to make self-interested partisan posturing appear more noble. Again, sorry for the confusion, but please be assured I won’t make the same mistake again.
....As I noted, I initially believed you shared that goal. But I understand how important the opportunity to lead your party’s effort to exploit this issue must seem to a freshman Senator, and I hold no hard feelings over your earlier disingenuousness. Again, I have been around long enough to appreciate that in politics the public interest isn’t always a priority for every one of us. Good luck to you, Senator.
Well done, Senator McCain. I'm glad to see a Republican who has the guts to see Senator Superstar Obama as the typical politician he is rather than as some beatified purple leader who bridges the divide between the two parties. He's a newbie senator who hasn't done a single thing except give one speech at the convention. And now that he's there, he's just your garden variety politician, no better and no worse than his colleagues.
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