John McCain: Patriot, And Critic Of Workers And The Elderly

While The Quitting Governor is on tour, being interviewed by Oprah Winfrey, Barbara Walters, Rush Limbaugh, and anyone else who can help her peddle her book, the other half of the duo from the 2008 presidential campaign is reminding us of the absurdity of the ticket. While serving as grand marshall for a NASCAR race in Arizona, Senator John McCain claimed

It was all about the unions. The unions didn't want to have their very generous contracts renegotiated so we put $80 billion into both General Motors and Chrysler, and anybody believes that Chrysler is going to survive, I'd like to meet them.

(Sarcasn alert.) Way to go Senator, demonstrating your support for American auto workers and American workers in general, as well as your faith in the American economy.

Now, if not previously, hardly pampered, the American auto worker shouldn't need any defending, but, as the congressman representing Bloomfield Hills, Democrat Gary Peters couldn't resist sending McCain a letter in which he invited the latter to the district and added

Because of the sacrifices made by the UAW and other key stakeholders, the American automobile industry is well positioned to emerge from the current economic crisis stronger and more globally competitive than when we entered it.

Auto workers, however, should not feel singled out by the Arizona senator. We recall (video below) the contempt McCain has also for members of the construction and building trades union (AFL-CIO), before whom McCain appeared in April, 2006. In the question-and-answer session, he (in)famously charged

Now, my friends, I'll offer anybody here $50 an hour if you'll go pick lettuce in Yuma this season and pick for the whole season. So -- OK? Sign up. OK.

You sign up. You sign up, and you'll be there for the whole season, the whole season. OK? Not just one day. Because you can't do it, my friend.

But it's not only American workers John McCain is not terribly fond of. Who can forget his response (video way below) to a question during the general election campaign in 2008, when he misled his audience about the solvency of the Social Security system, whose underlying principle he referred to as "an absolute disgrace?" Not me, apparently.

There are several good things about John McCain, most notably: he's not Sarah Palin. And if Senator McCain soon finds his voice and defends his presidential campaign staff against attacks leveled by the politician he dangerously vaulted to prominence, I expect to be among those lauding him.