Being Politically Special

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Being Politically Special

By John Sammon
Jan. 21, 2008

TV commentator Chris Matthews said the only reason Hillary Clinton became a senator and was running for president was because her husband “messed around” (had adulterous sex). Matthews’ remark brought howls of protest from women’s groups that he was being sexist, and so Matthews crafted not exactly an on-air apology, but a “you misunderstood what I really meant” type statement.

Since Matthews explained why Hillary is running, I will now explain why Matthews said what he did. Ego. EGOOOOO!

Chris has to fill air time. Chris has to be glib, entertaining, for hours on end. He gets paid big money to be clever, an attribute I despise, and I’m glad I’m not. You have to have a big ego to fill an imagined big job.

That’s why Hillary’s running. Not because her husband messed around with Monica. But ego. Hillary, for most of her adult life, has considered herself special. Different. And if the truth be known, better.

This is what all the political candidates share, the one single trait.

Let’s make it clear. I’m not against success, achievement. Or, the desire to be selected for a job. But what makes the political candidates different, is the view they hold of themselves in relation to the rest of the world. And the rest of us.

Almost all of them feel a pious psychological compulsion that they were put here on this earth, born to if you will, to save the world from itself, and to do good. Much like Christ. In other words, they have a Messianic mission myself and other dolts who don’t know any better wouldn’t understand. This is not new. French Premier Clemenceau at the World War I Treaty of Versailles in 1918, commenting sarcastically on American President Woodrow Wilson, said “he thinks he is Christ, come upon the earth to save the souls of men.” Chris Matthews himself, trying to explain away what amounts to nothing more than a stupid gaff (the Clinton remark), used Republican John McCain as an example. “If I said the only reason McCain has come so far (running for president) is because he got shot down over Vietnam , I’d be brutally ignoring the courage and guts he showed in bearing up under his captivity,” Matthews said.

Gee! Is this a Freudian slip? What do you call something where you say it’s wrong, but it’s really right? A Freudian untrue truth?

Matthews, trying to run for cover to save his job, inadvertently, in spite of himself, made a profoundly true statement. A major reason John McCain has come this far is his captivity. That’s a fact.

McCain’s war record is in all probability worth twenty million votes for him at the very least. The war is what made him. McCain wouldn’t admit it, but he loves war. JOHN McCAIN LOVES WAR. HE NEVER SAW A WAR HE DIDN’T LIKE. That’s because war elevated him. For some guys, if you don’t get your leg blown off or worse, war can be the greatest thing that ever happened to you.

This is a forbidden taboo subject. Some men just love it, and won’t admit it.

In McCain’s case, war and destiny mixed. It’s where he forged his idea of himself as an extraordinary man destined for greatness. He doesn’t see himself like you or I see ourselves. McCain, when he’s under criticism, always refers back to his Vietnam War service as a smokescreen. He does this because it works. Citing one’s military record, even as a sly hint, is as good as referring to one’s personal religion to make the point that you’re better than your opponent is.

Since most Republican candidates are war slackers (Democrats serve in the military much more), this is a convenient catch-all diversion. During a recent debate with Mitt Romney, Romney was lambasting McCain’s policies when McCain as usual wrapped himself in the flag and said, “I led a squadron of jets in a not-for-profit (unlike Romney) based on patriotism.” It worked. Romney, who never served, went mute. Watch out for any politician who constantly uses the word “patriot” to refer to himself. Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.

Whether McCain was heroic in bearing up under North Vietnamese captivity I’m sure is at least partially true. But he wasn’t alone in that regard. Other prisoners were too. McCain views himself as a chosen man of destiny come upon the earth like Christ to right the wrongs of the world. He writes books, self biographies with grandiose titles like, Son of My Fathers, or My Father’s Heroic Blood, or Patriots R Us. In fairness, other candidates view themselves similarly. This kind of ego can cause problems. Once elected, the guy thinks he’s big enough to ignore the Constitution as Bush and his boss Cheney have done. The office holder thinks his power is absolute.

I think if you could take a picture of the candidates seated on toilets relieving themselves, and show those pictures on TV, suddenly, somehow, they wouldn’t think they were so special anymore.

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Email: tishsammon@sbcglobal.net

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