Blogs and Stories
Sorry, Dad, I'm Voting for Obama
A year ago, when everyone, including the man I’m about to endorse, was caterwauling to get out of Iraq on the next available flight, John McCain, practically alone, said no, no—bad move. Surge. It seemed a suicidal position to take, an act of political bravery of the kind you don’t see a whole lot of anymore.
But that was—sigh—then. John McCain has changed. He said, famously, apropos the Republican debacle post-1994, “We came to Washington to change it, and Washington changed us.” This campaign has changed John McCain. It has made him inauthentic. A once-first class temperament has become irascible and snarly; his positions change, and lack coherence; he makes unrealistic promises, such as balancing the federal budget “by the end of my first term.” Who, really, believes that? Then there was the self-dramatizing and feckless suspension of his campaign over the financial crisis. His ninth-inning attack ads are mean-spirited and pointless. And finally, not to belabor it, there was the Palin nomination. What on earth can he have been thinking?
All this is genuinely saddening, and for the country is perhaps even tragic, for America ought, really, to be governed by men like John McCain—who have spent their entire lives in its service, even willing to give the last full measure of their devotion to it. If he goes out losing ugly, it will be beyond tragic, graffiti on a marble bust.
As for Senator Obama: He has exhibited throughout a “first-class temperament,” pace Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.’s famous comment about FDR. As for his intellect, well, he’s a Harvard man, though that’s sure as heck no guarantee of anything, these days. Vietnam was brought to you by Harvard and (one or two) Yale men. As for our current adventure in Mesopotamia, consider this lustrous alumni roster. Bush 43: Yale. Rumsfeld: Princeton. Paul Bremer: Yale and Harvard. What do they all have in common? Andover! The best and the brightest.
I’ve read Obama’s books, and they are first-rate. He is that rara avis, the politician who writes his own books. Imagine. He is also a lefty. I am not. I am a small-government conservative who clings tenaciously and old-fashionedly to the idea that one ought to have balanced budgets. On abortion, gay marriage, et al, I’m libertarian. I believe with my sage and epigrammatic friend P.J. O’Rourke that a government big enough to give you everything you want is also big enough to take it all away.
But having a first-class temperament and a first-class intellect, President Obama will (I pray, secularly) surely understand that traditional left-politics aren’t going to get us out of this pit we’ve dug for ourselves. If he raises taxes and throws up tariff walls and opens the coffers of the DNC to bribe-money from the special interest groups against whom he has (somewhat disingenuously) railed during the campaign trail, then he will almost certainly reap a whirlwind that will make Katrina look like a balmy summer zephyr.
Obama has in him—I think, despite his sometimes airy-fairy “We are the people we have been waiting for” silly rhetoric—the potential to be a good, perhaps even great leader. He is, it seems clear enough, what the historical moment seems to be calling for.
So, I wish him all the best. We are all in this together. Necessity is the mother of bipartisanship. And so, for the first time in my life, I’ll be pulling the Democratic lever in November. As the saying goes, God save the United States of America.
Read about Chris Buckley’s parting of ways with The National Review over his endorsement of Obama.
Stars Celebrate the Super Bowl
The Daily Beast is dedicated to news and commentary, culture, and entertainment. We carefully curate the web’s most essential stories and bring you original must-reads from our talented contributors.
How Rich People Smoke Pot
Paul Schrodt is a writer living in New York City. He has contributed to New York magazine, Radar, and Esquire.com.
One Hell of a Speech
Christopher Buckley's books include Supreme Courtship, The White House Mess, Thank You for Smoking, Little Green Men, and Florence of Arabia. He was chief speechwriter for Vice President George H.W. Bush, and is editor-at-large of ForbesLife magazine. His new book is Losing Mum and Pup, a memoir. Buckley's Daily Beast column is the winner of an Online Journalism Award in the category of Online Commentary.
The Audacity of Oops
Christopher Buckley's books include Supreme Courtship, The White House Mess, Thank You for Smoking, Little Green Men, and Florence of Arabia. He was chief speechwriter for Vice President George H.W. Bush, and is editor-at-large of ForbesLife magazine. His new book is Losing Mum and Pup, a memoir. Buckley's Daily Beast column is the winner of an Online Journalism Award in the category of Online Commentary.
Too Big to Succeed
Christopher Buckley's books include Supreme Courtship, The White House Mess, Thank You for Smoking, Little Green Men, and Florence of Arabia. He was chief speechwriter for Vice President George H.W. Bush, and is editor-at-large of ForbesLife magazine. His new book is Losing Mum and Pup, a memoir. Buckley's Daily Beast column is the winner of an Online Journalism Award in the category of Online Commentary.
allenizabeth
"He is, it seems clear enough, what the historical moment seems to be calling for."
Very true. Excellent article, it is lovely to see conservatives coming out of the woodwork to prove to the world that they still have some intellectual currency left, and that the intelligent men and women who usually vote GOP can see plainly that John McCain has lost himself in his quest for the Presidency.
bluedog
Thank you for an eloquent explanation of a choice that makes more and more sense. It's a relief to read a sensible assessment of the candidates from someone who pays attention and who has stature in the conservative community. If only John McCain would pay attention to the thinking right, not the rabid right,in his party and then spend his remaining weeks recapturing some equilibrium and dignity. Somebody needs to tell him, a la Jon Stewart, "Stop. You're hurting America."
shortputt
Good morning Chris. I just posted a favorable review of Supreme Courtship on the Borders web site (it's a great book, deserved support). My take is that if we are loyal to one or the other candidate we should vote for the other guy because given the state of the nation we shouldn't want to have our guy win. Being the next President is a punishment we should not want for our candidate (I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy, that sort of thing). Your Dad would be proud of you regardless of any of this and your Uncle Reid (who lives about an hour from where I do and is a wonderful man who also wrote a great boook this year) isn't yet in print denouncing you, yet. I've got a bunch of McCain bumper stickers in my pick up truck and have been doing a letter scramble to try to make a better statement, INANE works but there seems to be no E. Except for Cornell, Yale's football record has been okay this year so all hope is not yet lost, yet.
Zeits1
hoorah....
tovangar2
What a sweetie-pie, though too kind to McCain by half (but very clearheaded about Obama). Welcome home.
jspeyton
I'll put this in the "best news I've had all week" column. Sadly enough, it's true. Good for you, Buckley.
stuartallenmills
Bravo! Given the climate you have done something tremendoulsy brave.
Your father would be very proud.
aliliz
Thank you for being truthful. What a wonderful read!
LeRoseyGirl
"Not a few men who cherish lofty and noble ideas hide them under a bushel for fear of being called different."
Martin Luther King, Jr
Bravo Chris....for your decision to go against the grain of your conservative nature...You are indeed a Maverick!
Bertie
I am glad you mentioned Obama's intelligence. I would much rather have for President one who went to university on scholarships and broke through a glass ceiling to become President of The Harvard Law Review over one who got into Annapolis because of his family name and ended up 5th from the BOTTOM of his class and then wrecked approximately 20 airplanes. In these complex, critical times we need not only a leader with good temperament, but also the acumen to deal with complex, sensitive and critical global issues.
Bertie
globall13
Truly I enjoyed reading your article. There is too much wrong in this world to not go back. I am indeed searching for change. This election is about our children and grand-children future. I am scared too death! I loss $12,000 in my IRA. Wake up America, or WE will create our own demise. Obama 08
winchester
buckley's voting for a guy in the hope that he will not do what he promised he will do?
i.e. raise taxes and tariffs etc?
the acorn has fallen far from the tree indeed.
almaduro
Mister Buckley,
You say of Barack Obama that..."President Obama will (I pray, secularly) surely understand that traditional left-politics aren't going to get us out of this pit we've dug for ourselves," and yet all evidence available suggests exactly to the contary. His rhetoric, his historic and current choices in friends and advisors, and his oh so brief experience on the both the state and national stage suggest that your secular prayers had best be turned to the Almighty where they may do some good.
Your father would not be disappointed by your choice. I suspect however he would upbraid your fawlty logic.
sbnormang
Just to let you know, I hit the Flagit by mistake. I totally agree with your comments.
janeeh
Very well stated. I, too, had admired McCain but Palin was the beginning of a rapidly arrived-at end.
PeorgieTirebiter
Well this is good news, I can now leave Mr. Buckley's novel in plain sight.
Thank you.
As a first time user, your comment has been submitted for review. It can take anywhere from a few hours to a day or two for your comment to be reviewed, depending on the time of week and the volume of comments we receive.