Libertine: On the Prowl

Vidi, vici, veni -- I saw, I conquered, I came. _______________________________________________________________

McCain on His 'Greatest Moral Failure'

01:18, 2008-Aug-18 .. Posted in politics .. 5 comments .. Link

Many bloggers have written about the Saddleback Civil Forum, which took place last Saturday, in which both Barack Obama and John McCain were interviewed by Rev. Rick Warren. Thought there is much I could comment on concerning this event, starting with questioning the appropriateness of even questioning the candidates about their religious beliefs at all, I'll confine my remarks in this entry to one question Warren put to both cadidates.

*What was your greatest moral failure?

Obama: Well, in my own life, I'd break it up into two stages. I had a difficult youth. My father wasn't in the house. I've written about this. There were times when I experimented with drugs. I drank, you know, in my teenage years, and I traced this to a certain selfish necessary on my part. I was so obsessed with me and the reasons that I might be dissatisfied that I couldn't focus on other people. The process for me of growing up was to recognise that it's not about me.

McCain: My greatest moral failing – and I have been a very imperfect person – is the failure of my first marriage. It's my greatest moral failure. America's greatest moral failure has been, throughout our existence, perhaps, we have not devoted ourselves to causes greater than our self-interest, although we've been the best at it of anybody in the world.

I couldn't help but wonder if McCain's response was influenced by the recent news about John Edwards' marital infidelity, knowing that questions had inevitably followed about his own infidelity. Though there's no way to know, I'd be curious to know what his answer would have been to this question had this forum taken place a month ago.

I also have to wonder if this is actually how he feels, or whether this was a political move designed to head off those who might question him about this during the campaign and to make points with religious conservatives.

Personally, I think his thoughts and feelings about his first marriage are his own business that he shouldn't feel the need to share with the nation. It's nobody's business but those who were involved, and it puts the current Mrs McCain in an awkward position. It was something that he would have been better off leaving unsaid in a public forum.

Thoughts?
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01:24, 2008-Aug-18 .. Posted by slayerbarbie
I think he's laying the groundwork for covering his butt in case his ex wife comes out with some craziness or someone decides to dig into why his first marriage failed.

I don't think the question should have been asked in the first place. It's very intrusive and a person's moral sins or failures are between him and God. Unless they directly impact the job they are doing today (i.e. being a racketeer or an extortionist or something) then it doesn't matter.

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03:30, 2008-Aug-18 .. Posted by logis
I guess McCain had so many slips already that he is covering his tracks now.

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04:10, 2008-Aug-18 .. Posted by Aielman
I couldn't help but wonder if McCain's response was influenced by the recent news about John Edwards' marital infidelity, knowing that questions had inevitably followed about his own infidelity.

No...I doubt it. McCain has mentioned this sentiment before...long before Edwards was even on the stage. It was in his book as well. When he came home from Nam he was, quite obviously, a changed man. His wife had gone through a rather horrible accident and he dealt with both situations by screwing around on her, and eventually settling on the woman he is now married to.

He's been very open about it in the past...and it's not in any way a secret. To my knowledge, he's always publicly admitted that the failure of his first marriage was his fault.

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07:12, 2008-Aug-18 .. Posted by LauriesAsylum
I agree. I have heard him mention this quite some time ago.

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02:16, 2008-Aug-20 .. Posted by etainne
I thought both men were pandering to the religious right. I was amazed to see them both structure the answers so that moralists would see them in the way that would encourage more votes in their own direction. Maybe I am a cynic, but I found both performances revolting.
Who cares who did what to whom in the past bedroom?
No one can say they have never done anything 'morally objectionable'.