Whatever happened to individual responsibility? & Those used to be a Republican buzzwords, but they've faded from the lexicon lately. &
The absence was even pronounced in John McCain's acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention on Thursday night. According to the transcript , President Bush was never referred to by name. & As amazing as this is, the candidate of the President's party running to succeed him in office wants change but has nothing whatsoever to say about the current office holder. & Unless McCain is arguing that Bush actually made no decisions during the last eight years, a conspiracy theory I've heard advanced in other quarters (though generally as a joke), at some point the man has to be held accountable for his actions.
I had the same problem eight years ago when I decided not to vote for Gore because as an idealistic and new attorney, not to mention former federal law enforcement officer, I couldn't accept his refusal to publicly condemn President Clinton for his perjury. & For this voter, some things just need to be said publicly. & Gore needed to do it then, and McCain needed to do it Thursday.
McCain is now in a similarly awkward position, but one that I'd hoped his highly-touted ethics and maverick streak would have guided him through. & He claims to be an agent of change, but in this speech couldn't or wouldn't renounce those individuals who brought us to this point. & A campaign of change implies that things have gone wrong, but a refusal to identify the causes of the needs for change suggest a state of denial that make his pledge of change seem lukewarm at best.
