A Goldwater Agrees: John McCain is No Barry Goldwater

Back in May I had a post arguing that John McCain is No Barry Goldwater. At least one Goldwater agrees. The Atlanta-Journal Constitution, in a post which links to a copy of my earlier post (cross-posted at Democratic Underground) reports that Barry Goldwater’s granddaughter has voted early for Barack Obama. The Atanta-Journal Constitution quotes Alison Goldwater Ross:

“Coming from a political family, I had insight into a lot of things,” Goldwater Ross said. Of McCain, she said, “I don’t have respect for him.”

In my earlier post I noted that Ross found many differences between the views of Barry Goldwater and John McCain:

“I don’t think my grandfather would ever pander to the religious right like McCain did. That would get him angrier than anything. He believed in the division between church and state, he fought that constantly. And these guys are getting in there… religion is a wonderful thing but it does not have any place or purpose in politics,” she said. “My grandfather was for women’s rights. The idea that my body is mine, and what I want to do with it, I will do with it… McCain isn’t of that mindset.”

Hat tip to Andrew Sullivan for the link to the AJC post.

Update: Sullivan also links to a post from C.C. Goldwater at Huffington Post supporting Obama. She writes:

My grandfather (Paka) would never suggest denying a woman’s right to choose. My grandmother co-founded Planned Parenthood in Arizona in the 1930’s, a cause my grandfather supported. I’m not sure about how he would feel about marriage rights based on same-sex orientation. I think he would feel that love and respect for ones privacy is what matters most and not the intolerance and poor judgment displayed by McCain over the years. Paka respected our civil liberties and passed on the message that that we should conduct our lives standing up for the basic freedoms we hold so dear…

There always have been a glimmer of hope that someday, someone would “race through the gate” full steam in Goldwater style. Unfortunately, this hasn’t happened, and the Republican brand has been tarnished in a shameless effort to gain votes and appeal to the lowest emotion, fear. Nothing about McCain, except for maybe a uniform, compares to the same ideology of what Goldwater stood for as a politician. The McCain/Palin plan is to appear diverse and inclusive, using women and minorities to push an agenda that makes us all financially vulnerable, fearful, and less safe.

When you see the candidate’s in political ads, you can’t help but be reminded of the 1964 presidential campaign of Johnson/Goldwater, the ‘origin of spin’, that twists the truth and obscures what really matters. Nothing about the Republican ticket offers the hope America needs to regain it’s standing in the world, that’s why we’re going to support Barack Obama. I think that Obama has shown his ability and integrity.

1 Comment

  1. 1
    BobV01 says:

    Time to start thinking White House Agenda! Biden needs to move away from VAWA (Minnesota and Duluth have been discredited) and Prez. Obama needs to drop most of the Responsible Fatherhood Act (Child Support sixty-five times) and concentrate on the first three paragraphs allowing Fathers to be involved with their children.

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