Columnist – John Sammon
The original scenario at the Republican Convention had John McCain standing before a giant computer generated digital movie screen, the latest high tech technology, showing a gigantic American flag, a giant crucifix, as well as an apple pie cooling on a windowsill, and a photo montage of an elderly woman (symbolizing the flag, religion, mother and apple pie).

All American themes. The pie, mother, and the crucifix were eliminated at the last moment when it was decided by campaign strategists that this was laying on the sanctimony a little too thick.

The announcer, sounding pious, reverential, solemn in an almost choking voice like it was the most important thing that ever happened, was to then read from a prepared text.

“John McCain is a fighter. He decided he was going to be a fighter at birth. He fought to come into this world. He fought for you in Vietnam, and now he’s going to be fighting for you in the White House.”

The spectators scream, yell and applaud.

“Many years ago, John McCain learned that life requires you to fight. He was standing on the deck of the Battleship Cornblatt with his war hero uncle, and the clouds parted and the sunlight shone upon him, and he was heard to say, ‘some day, I’ll make this world a place to be worthy, but I’ll fight for the right.’

John McCain knows he’s a fighter.

He knows God. And he fights alongside God.

He’s the candidate for change. McCain supported President Bush in Iraq.

McCain is for change.

(Applause)

McCain supported Bush on immigration (guest worker program). McCain is for change.

McCain is against the Kyoto (global warming) Treaty. So is Bush.

McCain is for change.

(Wild applause).

McCain supports illegal wiretaps. So does Bush.

(Manic applause).

McCain is for change.

McCain is for the educational program, Every Child Left Behind. So is Bush.

They also agree mostly on health care, Medicare, taxes, abortion and trade.

McCain is for change.

But he isn’t afraid to fight.

John McCain isn’t slow to make the tough choices because John McCain understands you have to fight, and fight hard.”

A montage of heavily armed jet aircraft sweeps across the movie screen as a thrilling crescendo musical interlude of violins and harps, sounding literally like music from heaven, fills our ears.

The announcer piously resumes: “John McCain has fought. All his life he has fought. He fought for you back then (Vietnam), and he’ll fight for you now.

You see, destiny calls upon one special man each millennium to lead his people into the Promised Land. Pulling us into the future. Into our destiny. Our legacy. Destiny is only known to a very few. A select few. Courageous enough, bold enough. John McCain is one of those men. Very once in a great while, a great man appears whose greatness reflects upon us, that embodies the superior spirit of America, the supreme greatness of America alone among nations, the right, the duty, of America to lead, to teach, to uplift, to dominate, to spread itself across the globe.

Duty, country, family!

Only a man who is a fighter can know such a vision. A man who has fought. John McCain. John McCain loves his country. John McCain is his country. John McCain fights for his country.

John McCain will fight alongside you.”

The script (the version you saw on TV) was altered slightly when campaign strategists decided at the last moment they wanted to make McCain appear slightly more a man of the people.

Copyright 2008 Sammonsays.