My Friend, Gene McCarthy, 1916-2005

Special to FreeRepublic ^ | 11 December, 2005 | John Armor (Congressman Billybob)

[kenavi]

much of the coverage I have seen and read this weekend falsely categorize him as a "classic liberal."

McCarthy said that it was the Great Society that killed the legacy of the New Deal. Nowhere more true than in what Social Security has become. Yet McCarthy never acted on this belief. That other "honorable" Democrat, Pat Moynihan did. And so has President Bush.

E. McCarthy reminds me of Pat Buchanan: a classically Jesuit-trained mind, a charming raconteur, and a highly ethical man motivated by the love of ideas rather than ego. But as politicians, both suffer from a "holier-than-thou" stand on the issues that prevent them from working with others to effect real change. Instead, their campaigns end up giving political cover to people who love their own idea of "America" so much that they hate Americans.