In March 2009, she wrote a column in The Daily Beast that accused Ann Coulter…of perpetuating “negative stereotypes about Republicans,” and called her “offensive, radical, insulting and confusing.” “I object to people who use politics as entertainment,” she told me. The column provoked Laura Ingraham, the conservative commentator and radio show host, to deride Ms. McCain on her show as “plus-sized.” In response, Ms. McCain lambasted Ms. Ingraham on the talk show “The View.” “I want to have a political discussion about the ideological future of the Republican Party, and the answer is, ‘She’s fat, she shouldn’t have an opinion?’ “…. “What kind of message are we sending young women?” she asked. “It’s terrible!”
One of the things that never ceases to amaze me about the Republican Party is the reflexive, virulent distaste for dissent. Express an idea outside the accepted, rigidly-enforced mainstream, and you can reasonably expect to metaphorically become fish food. A viewpoint that doesn’t mesh with current dogma can, and will, be met with all sorts of withering attacks, from the philosophical to the biting and disturbingly personal. I joke a lot about enjoying watching Republicans eat their young, but there’s something to that. Republicans by and large don’t tolerate any deviation from the party line. Dissent and creative thinking is for losers and Liberals, and if you can’t toe the party line, you’re not going to have much of a future in today’s GOP. It’s sad that a party with such a long and (at least minimally) distinguished history has devolved into something resembling Brown Shirts, with no freedom of thought welcome or available.
This isn’t to say that there aren’t voices of moderation within today’s GOP, of course. It’s just that these folks tend to be laughed at, neutered, and pushed to their margins until and unless they come to their senses. “Liberal Republican” once upon a time was a legitimate part of the political lexicon. Today it’s an oxymoron on the order of “slightly pregnant”.
A few days ago I wrote of my admiration for Meghan McCain. While I would (and do) categorically reject most of what she stands for, and I’ve often said so, I admire her for her willingness to be a lightning rod. McCain’s comfort with herself and her beliefs is something that should provide moderate Republicans with hope for the future. It may just be that within the younger generation of Republicans that moderation may eventually help steer the GOP more toward the political center, where discussion and dialogue become not only possible, but hopefully likely.
I don’t ever expect to come to a place where I would see eye-to-eye on most issues with McCain, but she’s a helluva lot more reasonable than her father. People like her set me to thinking that it just might be possible for good people who legitimately disagree to find common ground on issues that irreparably divide us today. It’s clear that the current generation of GOP leaders have no plans, no ideas, and no convictions (unless screaming “NO!!” can be construed as such). IF moderate Republicans such as Meghan McCain can somehow find a way to effect a power shift within today’s GOP, Democrats may eventually have some competition on the ideas front. ‘Course, it’s not as if Democrats have been distinguishing themselves as statesman-like thinkers these days….
In the meantime, Republicans will continue to eat their young. It’s great entertainment, but it’s also a very sad commentary on the state of public discourse these days. Americans deserve better…and if we just cared enough to demand it, we might be surprised at the results.
