and the second in a series of posts about the candidates themselves.
I was going to do Barack Obama next, but a comment Willow made about
Bill Clinton's powerful magnetism made me think John McCain should be next up.
Have you ever watched those cooking shows where superstar chefs create crazy and amazing dishes while you watch? And sometimes they make a dish like "saffron infused squid eyeballs on a bed of whale vomit" and you think, "That sounds repulsive, but everything she makes looks so good, that I wonder how it would taste?"
My husband and I once had the opportunity to taste some dishes made by one of those superstar chefs for one of those shows. And Oh. My. God. I ate things I would never otherwise eat. Things that I normally don't even like. And they were. God! Words can't describe the ecstasy, the pure unbridled pleasure that exploded in my mouth. It was a culinary orgasm. The equivalent of squid eyeballs and whale vomit? Ate it all. Savored it. Dream about it at night to this day. Those chefs are artists, and the things they create are beyond imagination.
So, have you ever met a major politician in real life? Did you know that even the lamest seeming of them drip unbridled charisma, charm and magnetism? They ooze magical hypnotic power from every pore. You can't really appreciate it on TV any more than I could taste the dishes that chef created by watching. I could imagine they tasted good, but I had no idea how good until I was right there experiencing it. The magical power of politicians is like the creative genius of great chefs. You have to be powerful in the ways of the Force to avoid the Jedi mind trick that a seasoned politician can pull on you in real life. And I've discovered that, smart as I think I am, I'm definitely a weak minded fool in the hands of a Jedi master. And believe me, John McCain is a Jedi master.
I met McCain in 2000 when he was campaigning for president and stopped by a place I was working at the time. (All I can say is I'm glad it wasn't Bush who stopped by, because I'm pretty sure if he had, the powerful magnetism he is certain to possess would now have me saying things like, "Oh, but the Iraq War hasn't been that bad, has it?")
When I met McCain, he answered our questions about abortion and education and the economy, and I got the feeling that he and I might disagree on the issues, but if I got in political bed with him, we'd still respect each other in the morning. He seemed reasonable. He seemed thoughtful. He seemed interested in getting to know people, in working with different points of view, in finding compromises. And it didn't (this is the magical power of real life politicians) come across as dishonest acting but as genuine, heartfelt and awe inspiring. Somewhere I have a picture of me hugely smiling with John McCain. I think you can almost see the little stars swimming around my head and cartoon hearts coming out of my eyes.
Ever since that campaign stop eight years ago, I've been a little in love with John McCain. I'm a Democrat (in fact, whenever I take a quiz about my political leanings, I actually come out as a socialist), so it's a forbidden love, but having married a man of another race, forbidden love is not exactly a turn off for me. I keep it secret. McCain is my little pet Republican. He's like a snapping turtle I keep in the basement that would bite the nose right off the fluffy, lovable little pooch upstairs. And (shh!) I love it.
I get it. I totally get. The power of charisma is hypnotic. While not a Republican, I could understand the attraction to a politician like McCain. And the attraction of a cleverly worded title
The title of your post hooked me and I had to read it. Well done.
Hilarious! A snapping turtle, what a great image! But I still can't vote for him...it's that Palin person that scares the crap outta me...
Thanks MPJ
I'll have to take your word on this because to me he comes across as being stiff and uninteresting. Clinton had charisma. I sense it with Obama as well. But McCain leaves me yawning.
Syd, that's the thing, I wouldn't have thought John McCain would have that kind of magnetism. It's so clear that Bill Clinton and Barack Obama have it, even over the TV, that I'd be scared to meet them in person. I think my head might explode.
I met LBJ, shook his hand, so I get it.
Yes i have met a politician and yes he did drip unbridled charisma. I will never forget it to this day.
gasp!!!!!!!!!!!!!
;o
Actually, Photo's of McCain after coming home as a POW show he was a pretty handsome guy (even after going through all that).
I don't like him, though....or Palin.
Not that I love Obama either but he's the best pick for me.
I'm not a big fan of politics and don't believe in big government.
I think I might be considered a libertarian.
Well, all right. Sure. If you insist...
love ya anyway
I have learned, after being burned too many times by 'charismatic' men, to spot the evil behind the charisma! I'm impervious... no, really, I am!
One question I've been meaning to ask; how does the fact that beloved Hillary asks her supporters to back Obama play into your thoughts?
e, ha! Believe me. I'm scared of charisma now. I'll get to that in the Obama post! But it's 8 years too late for McCain and me. We're a done deal in the charmed department.
As for Hillary, I'm doing not what she wants of me, but what I want for myself (and by extension, her). And that may turn out to be one and the same, but it may not. I'm not giving away the ending yet.
That is interesting because on T.V. he does not HAVE IT.
Shelli, that's exactly the thing: squid eyeballs on whale vomit don't look good on TV either, but in real life? Wow!
There is something to be said for eyes of the beholder. We do invest our own power in the powerful. That's where they get it from!
You're so real, MPJ. That's what I love about you.
It's funny how a True Believer is attractive, even if you don't share their belief. Little Johnny, our EX Prime Minister was a true believer. He was charismatic and convincing in a way that many politicians are not. But True Belief is dangerous. It results in end-justifies-the-means behaviour. And in the interest of honesty, it is the scariest thing about Obama. I will back a left wing True Believer over any right wing candidate, but I am a little afraid of what Obama might do. Our new PM is not a True Believer, I suspect he is a conservative in disguise. He probably won't do anything dangerous, but he probably won't do anything awesome either.