John McCain and Obama trade jokes at Charity dinner October 2008

[crimycarny]

Looking at just how far the GOP has fallen, it’s given me even greater respect for John McCain. Both he and Obama seem to be enjoying themselves. I long for decency again.

[Chili]

1. me too

McCain used to visit Obama in the Oval just to talk. They became close enough for McCain to ask Obama to read his eulogy. There was so much repub ugliness since Obama's election that I think their friendship - or at least respect - got drowned out.

[LAS14]

2. Thank we'll ever return to days like that? nt

[vercetti2021]

3. I can disagree with McCain's beliefs

But he had fucking honor and never would have put the country in the hands of a dictator. Plus he did save the ACA with his vote. He has more honor than Fat Donnie ever will have

[canetoad]

4. Neither McCain nor Obama

Were nasty, vindictive people who needed to humiliate an opponent to claim a victory.

I don't know when the 'prevail at all costs' philosophy began to permeate two-party politics.

[Caliman73]

5. Gingritch.

Nixon was a dirty bastard too. He used all kinds of dirty tricks, and committed treason to win the election in 68, even though he probably didn't have to. However, Gingritch in the 1990's was the progenitor of the modern GOP's win at all costs strategy. He said that it wasn't enough to win, that you had to destroy your adversary and hate them. He ushered in the era of party line votes.

[Eid Ma Clack Shaw]

6. With that said, McCain gave into some of the base elements during that campaign

Once the hasty and calamitous Palin pick was made, it went off the rails completely and set the GPS to GOP 2020. I remember thinking that, in spite of individual moments like his defence of Obama against that racist woman, he didn’t cover himself in glory.

[JonLP24]

7. McCain incited things against Obama much like Trump

It was mostly Palin but McCain is responsible for that.

[Buckeyeblue]

8. The one big thing I remember about that election

Was McCain was doing a town hall and a woman stood up and accused Obama of lying about being a Muslim and hating the country. And McCain stopped her and said, "No he isn't. He is a good American who loves the country. We just disagree on how to govern," or something like that.

I still don't understand why McCain picked Palin as a running mate. There were other women far more qualified and sane.

[JonLP24]

9. If I was McCain I would've said "so what if he was"

That moment is why Colin Powell endorsed Obama over McCain telling a story of visiting a Muslim military member's gravesite.