Missed opportunity

Senator John McCain ought to make a speech--or end a speech with something like the following:

"I am running for President of the United States of America. I wnat to be your president. I think that I am the best person running in this race. But if you are going to vote for me because you will not vote for an African American, I do not want your vote. I want your vote but I do not want it if it is cast in opposition to my opponent's race. There is no place in my tent for those that would not allow for an African American president.

If you are thinking of voting for me because I am not black, I don't want your damn vote. I mean that sincerely."

Not only will McCain not make that speech, he failed to take the opportunity already presented to him: when a supporter asked him if '..he could beat the bitch", he failed to admonish his supporter not to use that sort of language and maybe deliver the kind of gentle lecture on good manners that a great politician may have put forth.

McCain had a golden opportunity to tell his supporter that, while he disagreed with Senator Hilary Clinton on nearly every issue, there was no reason to use derogatory and gutteral language when speaking of her. That he had a begrudging respect for her. That he had even worked with her of issues of import and substance and that everyone deserves some level of respect unless proven undeserving.

He could have gone further and spoken of the idea that politics is not a personal fight but one of words and ideas. He could have spoken of some kindness that Clinton had done and he could have spoken of her as a worthy opponent to be heldin high regard and so on.

Instead, he chortled and lost the opportunity to right many wrongs. And he demonstrated that he will never insist on not garnering the votes of those that will not vote for an African American.