THE MAN WHO EARNS HIS FREEDOM EVERY DAY

It grows tiresome to hear Democrats constantly praising Democrats, and Republicans constantly praising Lieberman, I mean Republicans. Seriously, isn’t it about time to give the Devil his due?

Faust did. And the result is some of the best literature in world history.

Personally, I like Faust, at least the Faust described by Goethe. Yes, he sold his soul for knowledge and power. But after experiencing years of demonically-inspired life in which he obtained whatever his heart desired, look what became of him? He decided that egoistic greatness is meaningless. He decided that true meaning lies in serving others – that is, in being charitable. He decided that supreme wisdom consists in the realization that “the man who earns his freedom every day alone deserves it, and no other does.” Accordingly, his one supreme moment, greater than anything the Devil could provide, was to envision clearing out a swamp to enable millions of people to live free, independent lives. And then he, Faust, would stand as but one of many – living cooperatively, peacefully, “on a free soil, with a free people.” Upon realizing the beauty of this image, Faust collapsed and was whisked off to the heavens.

Faust, ultimately, was a good man. And so, I believe, is John McCain.

Yes, I know. Right now, McCain gives the appearance of a man who would snuggle up with Goebbels if that’s what it took to advance his political aspirations. The Maverick McCain seemed rarely on the side of the Religious Right, but the New McCain can’t cozy up to them enough. The Maverick McCain was always pointing out the excesses and failures of the Republican establishment, but the New McCain can’t say enough about staying the course.

Let’s face it: after the Straight Talk Express was derailed in 2000, when McCain admitted that even the Maverick McCain told a few lies of expediency, he was merely foreshadowing things to come. The New McCain has obviously decided that nothing that comes out of his mouth can be taken seriously other than the words: “I want to be President and I’m willing to say and do whatever it takes to get the nomination and the Presidency.”

It’s ugly. But it doesn’t mean he’s forgotten the meaning of wisdom, or the ability to build coalitions if it served his needs to do so.

To those of you who’ve spent years insulting Bush for being elected President without paying his dues, look at it this way: John McCain has paid his dues as much as any American politician. To begin, he spent years in a Vietnam prison camp during which he was tortured – in Faust’s words, he more than earned his freedom every day! Then, after being elected to the United States Senate, he served for many years as a voice of reason who has worked as well with Democrats as with Republicans and has repeatedly told the truths that big lobbying firms and corporations were afraid to hear. That was the John McCain we all learned to respect, especially as it evolved into a Presidential run in 2000 that led to a victory in the Republican New Hampshire primary. That John McCain seemed to be the darling of all the truly “independent” political minds in the country. But then look what happened? His candidacy was destroyed practically overnight by the conservative establishment.

Methinks the dude learned a lesson about winning a Republican nomination.

Now I’m not condoning the way McCain has been conducting himself lately. I find it deeply troubling. Strike that, I find it depressing. But it hasn’t forced me to deny what the man has demonstrated for years: that he is a strong, courageous man whose political compass is essentially moderate. Apparently, you can add to that list that he has become so desperate to be elected that no liberal or moderate can possibly trust him if he is elected President. Then again, no reasonable person could ever trust Faust either when he sold his soul to the Devil. That didn’t change the fact that Faust was essentially a good man who ultimately decided that the Devil’s way was not his own.

I can’t see myself supporting the New McCain for President. But if he is elected – and I suspect his chance is as good as anyone’s – I’ll leave on the light of hope. Perhaps, once in power, he will decide that the time to suck up to Falwell is over, and the time to unify the country has begun. A moderate with McCain’s ambitions surely recognizes that goal as the height of political wisdom.