The blogosphere's concerted deconstruction of Rudy Giuliani's "America's Mayor"/911 hero myth over this past year was quite something to behold and, I know for a fact, contributed to the increasingly critical media coverage Giuliani drew and, no doubt, to the ultimate flameout of his candidacy (of course, it didn't hurt that he's just a horrible campaigner...)
As it's looking now, our next task will be to take apart the man, the myth, the legend John McCain: Principled Maverick! It's truly amazing to me that people, even Democrats and Independents who would normally be inclined to vote for the Democratic candidate, still see McCain as more moderate and more principled than he actually is. NPR aired an interesting piece today about the persistent misconception that McCain is pro-choice. That will be one aspect of the mass effort to educate moderates and independents of the real John McCain. Another is to eat away at the idea that he is at his core in any way deeply principled. Lucky for us, John McCain has already given us some great ammunition. Remember this exchange from the GOP debate the other night:
HOOK: I know [it won't come to the floor], but what if it did?MCCAIN: No, I would not, because we know what the situation is today. The people want the border secured first. And so to say that that would come to the floor of the Senate, it won't. [...]
COOPER: So I just want to confirm. You would not vote for your bill as it originally was -
MCCAIN: My bill will not be voted on. It will not be voted on.
That's right, he would now vote against the bill he was initially a principle advocate for, for political expediency. Ahh, sweet principle. But guess what. The immigration bill isn't the only bill McCain's championed that he would now oppose.
Steve Benen does some digging:
* McCain used to champion the Law of the Sea convention, even volunteering to testify on the treaty's behalf before a Senate committee. Now, if the treaty comes to the Senate floor, he's vowed to vote against it.* McCain was a co-sponsor of the DREAM Act, which would grant legal status to illegal immigrants' kids who graduate from high school. In 2007, to make the far-right base happy, he voted against the bill he had taken the lead on.
* In 2006, McCain sponsored legislation to require grassroots lobbying coalitions to reveal their financial donors. In 2007, after receiving "feedback" on the proposal, McCain told far-right activist groups that he now opposes the measure he'd backed.
* McCain used to support major campaign-finance reform measures that bore his name. In June 2007, McCain announced his opposition to a major McCain-Feingold provision.
Let the deconstruction begin. This is going to be fun.
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