On John McCain’s Willingness to Speak at Jerry Falwell’s University

On John McCain’s Willingness to Speak at Jerry Falwell’s University

On John McCain’s Willingness to Speak at Jerry Falwell’s University

What it takes to make him change his mind.

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McCain was his own man, that’s what was thought–
A man who spoke his mind, a man who’d fought
A war and suffered mightily, in fact,
But toughed it out. His honor was intact.
On certain issues, he would hold his ground
No matter where the party line was found.
This man seemed strong and fiercely independent,
And that’s what caused his star to be ascendant.
As was his way, McCain displayed no fears
Replying to those Carolina smears.
“An agent of intolerance” was what
He labeled Falwell, Karl Rove’s favorite nut.
But now, discerning where his future lies,
He kowtows to this nut he must despise.
Yes, presidential fever’s got him now.
To old McCain, alas, we must say ciao.
That independent man is gone for good.
What torture couldn’t do ambition could.

We cannot back down

We now confront a second Trump presidency.

There’s not a moment to lose. We must harness our fears, our grief, and yes, our anger, to resist the dangerous policies Donald Trump will unleash on our country. We rededicate ourselves to our role as journalists and writers of principle and conscience.

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Armed with a remarkable 160 years of bold, independent journalism, our mandate today remains the same as when abolitionists first founded The Nation—to uphold the principles of democracy and freedom, serve as a beacon through the darkest days of resistance, and to envision and struggle for a brighter future.

The day is dark, the forces arrayed are tenacious, but as the late Nation editorial board member Toni Morrison wrote “No! This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal.”

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Onwards,

Katrina vanden Heuvel
Editorial Director and Publisher, The Nation

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