The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution casts a long shadow on the 2008 presidential election. That amendment, an act of posthumous vengeance on the memory of Franklin Delano Roosevelt who had four times won election to the White House, was the vengeful work of some petty — mostly Republican — men who, unable to defeat FDR in life, decided to get even with him in death by limiting all future presidents to two terms.
Here is the irony of unintended consequences: Since the adoption of that amendment limiting presidents to two terms, the only two presidents who could almost certainly have won a third White House term if they had chosen to do so and been permitted were both Republicans: Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan.
This year, there are not a dozen semi-rational Americans — not under indictment or de-tox — who seriously believe that President George W. Bush, were he permitted, could seek and win a third term.
History may well record that George W. Bush twice deprived John McCain of an excellent chance of winning the presidency. In 2000, the scurrilously libelous smears on McCain by Bush backers in the ugly South Carolina primary may well have deprived McCain of his best shot of winning his party's nomination that year. Now, the albatross of Bush's eight-year record of fiscal irresponsibility indenturing our children, of median family income actually falling by more than $2,000, of 5.5 million more American families living in poverty and 7 million more Americans without health insurance combine to leave John MCain with a discouraging, uphill fight.
In Denver, the Democrats uncharacteristically avoided strife and public mayhem. The much-questioned decision by the Obama campaign to give half of the convention's four nights to speakers named Clinton turned out extraordinarily well. If there has ever been more grace under painful pressure of public defeat than that shown by Hillary Clinton this past week, I have not seen it at 19 political conventions.
Bill Clinton, as he almost always does under political pressure (recall his giving major presidential addresses barely hours after the Monica Lewinsky story broke and after his own impeachment) made a compelling public case for electing Barack Obama over John McCain.
There is a way for John McCain and his surprise running mate, Sarah Palin, to change the entire dynamic of this race in 2008, when voters overwhelmingly endorse a complete change from the policies and the partisanship of the Bush-Cheney years.
To become the true maverick while distancing himself both from Bush and Barack Obama — and to reclaim his own change brand — John McCain simply has to pledge that both he and his vice president will serve just one term, and then explain why.
This has nothing to do with age. McCain is vigorous and alert. But he is a patriot who could believably argue that the problems confronting the nation (inherited from Bush) cannot be solved by a Democratic solution or a Republican solution. The only realistic hope is American solutions, born of compromise and crafted out of genuine bipartisanship.
To prove his sincerity, McCain could pledge a Cabinet made up of independents, Democrats and Republicans — to seek the advice, ideas and support of the Democratic House speaker and Democratic Senate majority leader long before he even sends any major initiative to the Congress.
Does he risk becoming, if elected, a lame duck? John McCain — if he won and governed this way — could publicly shame the political class from organizing their presidential Iowa and New Hampshire campaigns for at least two years. Democrats still supporting Hillary might be tempted to back McCain in November if they knew there would be a vacancy for their candidate to run again in 2012.
It would be bold and refreshing, and it might even work. And for John McCain, dragged down by the weight of George W. Bush for the next nine weeks, it's certainly worth a try!
To find out more about Mark Shields and read his past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.
DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE INC.
COPYRIGHT 2008 MARK SHIELDS
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9 Comments | Post Comment
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Take heed Democrats. Mr. Shields column today is a tocsin we can't afford to ignore. Governor Palin provides an utterly unanticipated other pathway for McCain. ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
She's a bridge to the right wing, including evangelicals, to the many female chauvinists masquerading as feminists who are quite ready to piss all over the Democratic Party, to "average" working people, to young would-be voters, to those wistful for the lost maverick in McCain, to those who are looking for a prettier and more comfortable excuse to vote white, and even to those who want to keep hating the endangered species act and still feel like polar bears are getting a fighting chance. You have it all ways with her. .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
If Rove didn't orchestrate this one, whoever did is a worthy competitor indeed. .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Palin shines a bright light on all the damage picked up along McCain's chosen route to the finish line, and she's got a big can of Bondo and some dazzling red paint. The dents and holes can either be filled in by taking a cue from her, or left to display the rust and rot on as the old wreck nears its time for the junk yard. .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
The main money is still on the latter, and the McCain Mobile is so close you can surely hear the dog barking if you're in it, but as Mark's scenario suggests, the inspiration of desperation could well see it roll past the crumbling roads of D.C. and into the White House.
Comment: #1
Posted by: Masako
Sat Aug 30, 2008 12:25 PM
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P.S. Well, smack me upside the head. Of course we should have predicted this. McCain always goes for the younger women.
Comment: #2
Posted by: Masako
Sat Aug 30, 2008 4:23 PM
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Sir; I think there is something to be said for having enough of a good thing, or poison. Thanks.... Sweeney
Comment: #3
Posted by: James A, Sweeney
Tue Sep 2, 2008 3:31 PM
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Re: Masako;; Sir, it does not matter what kind of women he goes for, I think he has lost as much as he has possibly gained by this move. You know there are many republicans who sincerely believe the place for a woman is at home, and not in politics, or even working out side of the house for that matter. They believe like that Roman who said that as soon as a woman becomes your equal she becomes your master. It is easy enough to say some more might vote for him because of her. I would like to see it proved. He isn't going to fool any democrat women, and come to think of it, they are pretty much all women. The single issue voters will vote for her, but no one with a brain because just like all the rest of those republicans, she knows how to pull their lever. But, he undercut his own best defense against Obama, and that was the experience issue, which was not really enough. So, my guess is that no one responsible wanted to have loser written all over their future by going down in flames with Mccain, and she was the only one not worried about career suicide. What do you think?.... Sweeney
Comment: #4
Posted by: James A, Sweeney
Tue Sep 2, 2008 3:49 PM
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Re Mr. Sweeney. The one factor that leads me to thinking more pessimistically than you are about this is the place rationality holds in your thesis. You know, the trait voters to whom McCain is pandering don't have a whole lot of. I hope you are right and I am wrong--I sincerely want to lose this little debate with you. Cheers and Best Wishes, Masako.
P.S. See my comment at http://www.creators.com/comments/opinion/blowback-from-bear-baiting.html
Comment: #5
Posted by: Masako
Tue Sep 2, 2008 6:31 PM
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Why is no one talking about the fact that just 8 years ago McCain was rejected for the Presidency by the GOP? If he is so perfect for the job today what was wrong with him then? Why is it thhat the "golden thread" that connects him to history has a gap 8 years ago for his party? Could it be that he hadn't flip-flopped on key issues, yet? Or that he hadn't knelt before the religious right up until this year?
Comment: #6
Posted by: Robert
Wed Sep 3, 2008 5:32 PM
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Why is it you have so much to fear from Gov. Palin if your great lord on high Obama is so good ?Other then the facts that he will not say the pledge to the flag or salute it or the the fact that when he says that he will raise taxe s for the oil companies that you seem to miss the point that those costs would be passed on to you and me DUH!!You have your collective heads so far up his butt that you can't move your fingers.As far as Mr Sweeny's comment about the gop women what cave did you come out of?did you happen to notice how many women CEOs are at the GOP convention.Robert yes Mccain lost the last primary.How many has Bidin lost,don't go there. Obama has no experience whatsoever to qualify him to be President If I had a way I would stand face to face and debate him but thatwill never happen as he will not answer any straight forward questions.I am a 62 yr old truck driver dont have much money and don't want to give anymore to any of your special interest groups.
Comment: #7
Posted by: Alan
Thu Sep 4, 2008 5:42 AM
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Sarah Palin's Speech (at her church June 2008)
This is the video of the speech posted at the Wasilla Assembly of God's Web site before finding its way on to other sites on the Internet.
I make no judgement on the speech. You watch it and you decide.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG1vPYbRB7k
Comment: #8
Posted by: Franklin
Thu Sep 4, 2008 9:48 AM
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Re: Robert; Sir. .. Honor used to mean something to him. We all change. I can remember when a girl, and just about any girl was more important to me than a good night's sleep, a meal, or even holding down a job. Plato was right to describe youth as some kind of insanity. But no less is power some form of insanity. And now that honor has slipped in importance to John Mccain, power has fastened its hooks into him, and drags him into saying or doing everything necessary to have it. I mean, to hear the introduction of John Mccain at the convention, he was miraculously saved in a fire on an aircraft carrier that took a hundred and forty lives. It was a miracle! His rocket off of his plane killed forty of those Americans, and he did as ordered, shut off the plane, and walked away. Well, that is our people, and we have a right to miss them; but think of all the days he rained death upon people in North Vietnam because he was ordered to, but also, because he liked it. And what ever happened to going down with the ship? Why didn't he fight the fire, or turn the plane, and fire out to sea? Why did he do nothing but follow orders? I think it was the path to power. I have a lot of questions without answers. But I think, under the circumstances that there was nothing miraculous in his life being saved, but something tragic beyond belief. Was his life worth forty? Is his life worth all those he killed in Vietnam? Are they not human beings too? Whether this guy wants to admit it or not, he is one of the creme of this country. Admiral grandfather, admiral father, and himself, a senator. It was amazing that he even had the courage to say in front of all those republicans that there might be something about America that needed fixing. Where did he get that idea? The only thing they want to fix is democrats... Thanks... Sweeney
Comment: #9
Posted by: James A, Sweeney
Fri Sep 5, 2008 4:51 AM
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