Dean Barnett On John McCain -- Grampa Simpson?

Yes, you read hat correctly. Dean Barnett is comparing John McCain -- right now -- to the Simpson's Grampa Simpson. Now this running gag on today's Hugh Hewitt Show (where Dean is guest-hosting for the absent Mr. Hewitt) has garnered quite a bit of laughs, as it should. It is quite funny. We are sorry that "Betty from Tucson" found the joke in poor taste; it was not, however, rude in any way. If she would like a lesson on rudeness, she should try to Kos-Kiddies on any given day. Those are jokes and humor done in very poor taste.

However, Thomas and I have been castigated for referring to our senior senator, at times, as Humphrey Bogart's memorable character, Captain Queeg from The Caine Mutiny. We find the allusion most appropo; as Thomas is fond of saying, "Someone stole his strawberries in 2000, and now everyone in the nation will pay for it." His record in recent years proves this point beyond a doubt.

What is worse, in our humble opinion, and likely the biggest reason why he has turned the base off, is due to his apparent hostility towards us. Think about this: After losing the 2000 nomination, John McCain's first job when he returned to congress was to put forth the mildly ambivalent Campaign Finance Reform bill. In that bill he allowed a restriction on our free speech during election time -- thirty to sixty days before a general election -- to be inserted in this bill. He claims the bill was removing "soft" money out of campaigns, but in creating the bill, he simply shifted where that money went. It went to 527 advocacy groups.

Now take a look at one of those groups, and his virulent reaction to them in 2004. Those would be the Swift Boat Vets. He eviscerated them publicly for questioning John Kerry's military record, of which the junior senator from Massachusetts was using as the focal point of his campaign. He helped create the Swift Boat Vets, and as they were exercising their legal rights, he took swipes at them.

Let us fast forward to 2006, with the infamous Vanity Fair article where he proclaimed, with much disdain, "I'll build the g*ddamned fence if they want it." This does not resonate well with voters. The contempt dripping from his outbursts towards the public has turned a good deal of people off.

With that in mind, I must concur with my husband. If we are to take into account the Simpson's, John McCain resembles Mr. Burns. (Coincidentally, James Lileks believes John McCain sounds much more like Jasper who is Grampa's close friend in the retirement home.) This is why we agree why John McCain reminds us of Mr. Burns.

While not an evil man, he is an extremely ambitious man. As the owner of the power plant in town, he has a great deal of power. He dislikes people, in general, and especially those who question him or foil his plans. His incessant attacks towards those that oppose him, only to be humbled and silenced by those critics until the next episode. There are quite a few similarities between the two. (And yes, Dean has asked for anyone who thinks John McCain is like Chief Wiggum, so please e-mail him if you believe that.)

We are not saying he is a bad man. Far from it. Like Hugh, we believe he is a great American who served this nation proudly, but he is a terrible senator and a lousy Republican. Additionally, looking at the past six years and how he has carried out his campaign no one can say he has not acted contrary to the base on the largest issues of the past six years. Not caring about restricting free speech? A blatant refusal to allow the party to set the rules straight regarding judicial nominees? Allying himself with Ted Kennedy on such a poor piece of legislation regarding a serious, national security matter?

Mr. Burns has a better shot at the presidency than John McCain does.

Marcie