What do you think about when the words “Country First” are attached to an ad?
John McCain, who has adopted this tag as his campaign slogan, would like you to think that he’s a patriot genuinely concerned with your problems. Yet, there are so many ways to read this line. I read it like this:
What does “Country First” mean to you?
He’s trying to appeal to his base…
Nah, direct appeal to moveon.org
“You know, I think you may have noticed that Senator Obama’s supporters have been saying some pretty nasty things about Western Pennsylvania lately. And you know, I couldn’t agree with them more. I couldn’t disagree with you. I couldn’t agree with you more than the fact that Western Pennsylvania is the most patriotic, most god-loving, most, most patriotic part of America, and this is a great part of the country.” –Moon Township, Penn., Oct. 21, 2008
He’s less ambivalent about others, however.
“I hate the gooks. I will hate them as long as I live.”
–John McCain to reporters on his campaign bus, February 17, 2000
His apology: “I was referring to my prison guards, and I will continue to refer to them in language that might offend some people because of the beating and torture of my friends.”
The old man was ornery and covered with scars
He got some in prison and others in bars
The rest he got from crashin some cars
He’d get drunk and mean as a rattlesnake
And there wasn’t too much that he would take
From a stranger
Tryin’ like the devil to find the Lord
Workin’ like a [insert racial epithet] for my room and board
With a little help from my rich wife’s stash
If that ain’t country, I’ll kiss your ass