Presidents and Politicians

... Here's a pic I took of a presidential candidate last weekend.

When Nixon ran against McGovern, the liberal midwest democrat, I went to a campaign rally at the university I was attending to hear the man himself who we all hoped would defeat the notorious red-baiting Vietnam Warmonger from California. Shirley Maclaine, the great actress, was there to offer support as well.

When McGovern was finished I remember moving in close to say hello to him if I could, but especially to the actress, since I was a budding film student in the making. I also was a young, jaded, cynical skeptic of anyone and anything political, as we were taught in the mighty ground-shaking 1960's to question everythingm and accept nothing at face value, specifically if it was from anything remotely connected with the "establishment," which of course, politicians were.

I got right next to Shirley, looked into her magnificent blue eyes, and said, "How do you know this guy's telling the truth?" To which she replied, "You just have to look into his eyes to see he is an honest man."

Give me a break! "Honest politician" is the number-one oxymoron right up there with military intelligence and gentler capitalism. I respected and admired George McGovern, but there's no way anyone gets into a higher-up political position without a lot of selling out, and then spinning it that you didn't really sell out.

I was very upset about Bobby Kennedy taking on the anti-Vietnam War mantle late, after the months and sweat and effort of Eugene McCarthy, a kindly school-teacher then U. S. senator who always saw the problem with commiting US troops, money, and blood to a far-off war in Southeast Asia. Bobby had great intentions and values even as a johnny-come-lately, and I was young a quick to judge--but how much have things changed these days?

Obama and Hillary are going to knock their respective brains out trying to become the nominee for that amazing office with the big plane and all the power--and we're going to continue to follow the circus which has become this year's American Idol show to watch. They've already made their compromises and sold what of their souls they had to to get this far. Except unlike American Idol, this really is for keeps!

'Twould be nice if they kept what's left intact for the sake of the voters they're courting, just because there are so many people in the world in dire conditions that could use real help, beyond good intentions, and politically-correct debate points.