John McCain

I've never been to a political rally before, so I thought I would at least make the effort to walk across the street to my old highschool's gymnasium.

I got there half an hour early. Plenty of people were already there. A woman offered me a McCain sticker, which I affixed to my coat so I would blend in better. "This is my country" was blaring from the speakers by the stage. The backdrop was a huge American flag. I didn't see a single black or hispanic or asian person.

Interestingly, there was NO visible security. None. You would think they would at least check people for guns, especially for a guy who is about to be the Republican presidential nominee.

There were three throat-clearing speeches before McCain took the stage. One guy talked about how he took Sadam Heussein's blood pressure after Saddam was captured. Another read a poem about Tennessee, written buy a POW in the Hanoi Hilton who was in the cell next to McCain's. McCain's wife talked about the daughter she adopted without her husband's knowledge.

"Where's she going to go?"

"I thought she could stay with us, dear."

"Oh, Ok."

Then there was the pledge of allegiance. And then the national anthem.

And then McCain finally took the stage with a huge cheer erupting from the crowd. Cameras flashed from every direction.

He gave his well-rehersed stump speech. Promised to find Osama. Promised to make Bush's tax cuts permanent (I had to concentrate to keep my groans from being audible). Promised to reign in federal spending using the "veto pen that Reagan gave me." Promised to give better healthcare to veterans.

And then he walked into the crowd with his wife, and was immediately swarmed by people wanting an autograph or wanting to shake his hand or wanting a better picture.

It's too bad McCain is a Republican. He would probably make a great president if he weren't so beholden to the conservative right.