I wish there was a way to do an intervention on Meghan McCain. If you’re guessing, yes, she’s the daughter of John and Cindy McCain and, as a grown woman, she’s out there stumping for her dad. And, well, I kind of like her. If her blog wasn’t ostensibly to get her war-mongering, corporatist, anti-choice father into office, I’d probably be a fan. As Politico explained in an article comparing Meghan McCain and Chelsea Clinton:
McCainBlogette.com is all snappy photos, quick video and fashion tips offered up from the back of McCain’s Straight Talk Express bus. Meghan writes about her favorite shades (Chloe aviators) and her song of the day (Coldplay’s “Brothers and Sisters,” for example) but never policy. One online critic called it “Chicken Soup for the Candidate’s Daughter’s Soul.”
Actually, that’s a little unfair. I get the strong impression reading the blog that McCain is smart, but has chosen to play a role that meshes better with the expectations of Republican voters—that women be smart and bubbly, but not too smart, lest they intimidate the easily intimidated white male voter who votes almost completely because he feels intimidated and needs someone to reassure him he has a big cock. But this article really downplays McCain’s hip side, registering her fandom of the putrid Coldplay, but ignoring the fact that she has pretty good taste otherwise, and she puts out regular playlists on the blog, almost as a seeming counterpoint to the intellectual vapidity she otherwise has to display as an official female member of a Republican family campaign. On her latest playlist, she has Sleater-Kinney, the Brian Jonestown Massacre, the Cure, Danger Mouse & Jemini, the Screaming Trees, and a bunch more stuff that certainly passes a minimum hipness measure. Her playlists read like a cry for help, like they’re saying, “I’m actually really smart and cool, unlike pretty much every other person around me on this campaign trail.”
Most of her blog is just pictures and videos about all the great people they meet on the campaign trail, which is the mandatory thing to say, though by most measures, roomfuls of racists, commie-baiters, anti-choicers, and just generally resentful white guys are hell on earth. But she steps out of character a little (besides her playlists that actually dominate the blog) and writes:
As you may have noticed, I seldom use the Blogette as a medium to discuss social or political issues unless I feel particularly compelled to do so. This is one of those times. One of the unintended consequences of my dad becoming the presumptive Republican nominee is the increased level of public scrutiny on him and our family. Of course I expected more than my fair share when I decided to put myself out there and write a blog on the campaign; however, I’ve been surprised by critical comments regarding my weight and body shape. It recently reached a ridiculous level when someone handed me a business card for a plastic surgeon and suggested I needed liposuction. I am proud of my curves and have always loved my fuller figure, as should every woman who is not a size “0″. I want to be a positive role model for my little sister and all of the other young women who read my blog and help perpetuate a more positive image for women, regardless of their body size. I feel empowered to tell everyone that it’s important to maintain a healthy weight that works for them - not everyone is going to be model thin, nor should they expect to be. To every young girl reading this blog, it is inner beauty and happiness that makes a person beautiful, not a number on a scale.
I’m not remotely surprised that a lot of dudes feel intimidated by her and feel this is the best way to take her down a few notches. Hell, there are a lot of men who feel intimidated by the fact that women exist, and hide behind their male privilege to preach at women about how we should look in order to perk themselves up. But once again I’m struck by the fact that Meghan McCain either feels like she can’t talk about social issues without hurting the campaign or has been instructed not to. Is she off-message? Is she not conservative?
Thanks for indulging me my obsession. I am fascinated by the role of Republican women as the party increasingly uses tropes about the greatness of masculinity and the internal rot of femininity to attract the votes of the resentful, anxious men. If you’re kind of cool and have a good self-esteem, as it seems Meghan McCain does, there’s got to be some dissonance there. Some of them go full IWF, bashing other women and women’s rights, as if this will make them honorary men. In the Bush family, it seems that the Bush women are the repositories of the family’s intelligent and compassionate side. George Bush runs around being a stupid, belligerent asshole and his women follow behind, being smart and kind and convincing a few people that are turned off by how terrible Bush is that he at least has decent women in his life. The notion that women are the gentler sex turns into an excuse to make women the moral repositories, as if the whole family gets to go to heaven, because while George Bush got hundreds of thousands of people killed, his wife started the Texas Book Festival and his daughter actually seems to give a shit about people dying of AIDS. Is that the role Meghan McCain is playing for her father—being a repository for kindness and intelligence so he can go out and woo the stupid vote?
65 Responses to “The exception who proves the rule”
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Must… not… permit… her… to ruin Sleater-Kinney for me forever…
I’m choosing to believe she’d be a liberal if it weren’t for family loyalty. It’s got to be hard to be like, “Love ya’, Dad, but I can’t support your candidacy.”
To hell with her.
It sucks that people are trying to cut her down by making ugly remarks about her physical appearance. That pisses me off. And, I’m sure she’d be, like, totally awesome to have a beer and, you know, party with and stuff. OMG! Our playlists match! LOL!
But she’s trying to get McCain elected. And I won’t cut her any slack on that. Family relations notwithstanding, her dad is one scary, dangerous MFer. She will be accountable for all the nasty shit he will allow to happen when our party finishes self-destructing and he becomes president.
If the religious nuts are right and there is a hell, I look forward to meeting Meghan McCain there one day. We can discuss all the horrible shit her dad and his party did to this world. Albeit to a bitchin’ soundtrack.
The idea of women as moral repository is a relic of the nineteenth century. Here is the critic, John Ruskin, on this subject, from OF QUEEN’S GARDENS:
“……their separate characters are briefly these. The man’s power is active, progressive, defensive. He is eminently the doer, the creator, the discoverer, the defender. His intellect is for speculation and invention; his energy for adventure, for war, and for conquest, wherever war is just, wherever conquest necessary. But the woman’s power is for rule, not for battle — and her intellect is not for invention or creating but for sweet ordering, arrangement, and decision. She sees the qualities of things, their claims and their places. Her great function is Praise; she enters into no contest, but infallibly judges the crown of contest. By her office, and place, she is protected from all danger and temptation. The man in his rough work in open world, must encounter all peril and trial: to him, therefore, the failure, the offense, the inevitable error: often he must be wounded, or subdued, often misled, and always hardened. But he guards the woman from all this; within his house, as ruled by her, unless she herself has sought it, need enter no danger, no temptation, no cause of error or offense. This is the true nature of home — it is the place of Peace; the shelter, not only from all injury, but from all terror, doubt, and division. In so far as it is not this, it is not home; so far as the anxieties of the outer life penetrate into it, and the inconsistently-minded, unknown, unloved, or hostile society of the outer world is allowed by either husband or wife to cross the threshold, it ceases to be home; it is then only a part of that outer world which you have roofed over, and lighted fire in. But so far as it is a sacred place, a vestal temple, a temple of the hearth watched over by Household Gods, before whose faces none may come but those whom they can receive with love — so far as it is this, and roof and fire are types only of a nobler shade and light — shade as of the rock in a weary land, and light as of the Pharos in the stormy sea — so far it vindicates the name and fulfills the praise, of home. (Ruskin, 1871: 84-85)”
It’s a tedious political strategy, using wifey to hint cost-free about your unspoken liberalism. Both president Bushes could abortion with Barbara and Laura in the wings hinting that the family wouldn’t REALLY take away this constitutional right. I didn’t like the Edwards version either, where John opposed same-sex marriage and Elizabeth said she didn’t, so we voters were validated whether we believe X or not X. Enough, already.
I’ve never understood just what kind of an asshole you have to be to actually suggest to a person’s face that they are disfigured in some way and ought to get treated for it–especially for weight. I think if someone handed me a business card for liposuction, I might kick them in the junk. political support be damned.
Sorry, that was both Bushes could DENOUNCE abortion. And not just wifey, but one’s hip young daughter can be used this way.
Even the older Bush used Barbara to imply some compassion he didn’t really have. He’d say he was against abortion and then say that Barbara disagreed. In reality, he was pro-choice in the 70s, and only flip-flopped to get elected.
Liposuction card? I might take it, make an apointment, and see how well it works for lobotomy purposes.
I think that for women who are clearly affluent, there is an expectation of surgery to perfect things. It has become a extreme class issue.
I really wonder how much of Cindy’s mental and drug issues were related to weight loss and plastic surgery pressures.
I find it interesting you appear to be assuning it was a man who handed her that card. Based on my personal experience, I’d say it would more likely be a woman. One who has bought into the patriarchical demands on appearance and wants all the other women in reach to join her.
MKK
That playlist screams:
“proper modern girl”
absolutely sanitized. Only white rock, EZ listening. No soul, no funk, no punk, no jazz, no electronic, no hip-hop, no blues. no aretha franklin, kinks, replacements,
How old is she? 17?
matmos has a track for that ‘ytte’ . Now that’ll be a mind boggling track to see in her list.
k. nevermind. I read the whole playlist.
Now it reads like normal college student list.
http://www.mccainblogette.com/docs/playlist/
I have been reading her blog on and off since I read about it on Feministing. I actually love it, and think it’s a very interesting window into the campaign trail.
And, duh, of course she is trying to get her father elected - what person wouldn’t? She actually voted for Kerry in 04, so it’s a safe bet that she’s more liberal than her dad. But really, if my father were running for president as a Republican, I’d support him, even though I’m an avid (some may say rabid) progressive Dem.
I do not understand a single one of these “well if it was family I’d totally support their political career even if I found their politics abhorrent” comments.
I would never ever ever support anyone I am related to getting into politics if their politics opposed mine.
Why would I ever water down my beliefs for anyone?
Maybe my ethics and beliefs are just to strong. /shrug
Meghan’s offended (about a liposuciton card)? To remind everyone, it was her daddy who handed no-longer-model-like Carol SHepp McCain the untlimate “improvement card” - divorce papers.
As usual - another repooplican hypocrite.
She could very well surprise all of us with her political views later on.
Ron Reagan, after all, is a liberal.
Perhaps I’m missing something here, but having a hip playlist gives you some kind of pass?
Ergo, my Journey propensity puts me at the back of the bus?
Here we have the daughter of a man who wants to bomb the shit out of anything that moves and she is vapidly talking about her aviator shades and lipstick and how she gets bent our of shape because of people giving her shit about her weight and then YOU turn into an attack on how of course some men giver her shit about her weight???
Pardon my run-on sentence, but WTF?
This has nothing to do with Pigs vs. Kewl chicks on the Back of the Bus, but with this attractive young woman wanting to use her skills to get people to vote for her Dad while she explicitly admits to not wanting to talk about the issues.
If anything, her choice of music should give pause to all of you out there who have similar tastes: maybe you aren’t hip, or better yet, perhaps ‘hip’ music is not a good arbiter of hipness.
I’ll take my Journey and my utter disgust and hatred of McCain and start sitting in front on the yellow bus.
I am simply shocked at this point.
I guess I’m a cold-hearted, anti-family values weirdo.
I actually think endless war, regressive taxation, denying global warming, supporting torture, and stifling civil liberties are generally disagreeable policies, whether or not the person holding those positions is related to me.
If she supports her dad because she agrees with him, that’s bad. If she’s supporting her dad even though she disagrees with him, how is that better?
I understand it. I don’t agree with it–I’m with you. If a member of my family was running for office on a platform I found distasteful, I’d oppose them too, though perhaps not vociferously. But family ties are strong–or they can be, anyway–and perhaps she feels she has an insight into her father that the rest of us don’t have. Or maybe it’s just a blind spot.
El Tiburon March 24, 2008 at 11:51 am
If anything, her choice of music should give pause to all of you out there who have similar tastes: maybe you aren’t hip, or better yet, perhaps ‘hip’ music is not a good arbiter of hipness. ”
It’s a standard fare. Nothing that anybody can’t download from the net in 20 seconds. (ie. just about everybody listen to it. It’s way proper and predictable, considering she is “art” major from columbia.)
music playlist only say small part about somebody’s habit. But it does say something. (plus it’s fun to blather)
Sarah March 24, 2008 at 11:37 am
And, duh, of course she is trying to get her father elected - what person wouldn’t? She actually voted for Kerry in 04, so it’s a safe bet that she’s more liberal than her dad. But really, if my father were running for president as a Republican, I’d support him, even though I’m an avid (some may say rabid) progressive Dem.”
But we are talking war and torture tho’ It’s something pretty fundamental about modern world.
perhaps she feels she has an insight into her father that the rest of us don’t have. Or maybe it’s just a blind spot.
Perhaps she knows damn well that she was born holding the golden ticket to limitless wealth and success, and all she has to do to claim it is keep her mouth shut. Then it’s easy to rationalize that even if she spoke up, it wouldn’t make any difference. That might even be right.
Classic millionaire’s bimbo daughter.
Sort of a right wing Paris Hilton, like, ya know?
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE vote for Obama.
We have had decades of multi-millionaires in the White House…
Clinton has an estimated $40,000,000
Cindy (and I really do not want another cutesy first lady) inherited $45,000,000 from Daddy and bought her husband a Senate seat.
Obama has about $1.5 mill mostly in the family house.
Just maybe we will have someone in office who actually understands what normal people are concerned about.
Or am I the only one who remembers George the First being dazzled by the bar code scanner in the supermarket?
“I’m not remotely surprised that a lot of dudes feel intimidated by her and feel this is the best way to take her down a few notches.”
She doesn’t say the inappropriate people nor the plastic surgeon jerk was male. You’re jumping to a big conclusion there.
Would it not seem more likely that she is getting hammered by left leaning critics and they are picking on her body and weight because they really disagree with her political choices in supporting her father? Political opponents on blogs tend to offer personal attacks much more often than reasoned dialogue. You can see it here all the time.
Or am I the only one who remembers George the First being dazzled by the bar code scanner in the supermarket?
No one actually remembers that. Poppy had many flaws, but he got hosed on that story.
“Political opponents on blogs tend to offer personal attacks much more often than reasoned dialogue.”
[/irony]
And you’re just the kind of asshole who would say that, aren’t you Dr T?…
[irony]
“No one actually remembers that. Poppy had many flaws, but he got hosed on that story.”
If Old Man Bush got the raw end of that, his son has more than made up for it with his free pass to say any asinine thing that drifts into his empty head and get away with it.
After the last 7-years, it’s obvious America really got the shaft in that deal…
MikeEss,
Absolutely, and the overall criticism of Poppy was certainly justified. He was out of touch with the US public, and he didn’t have a clue about their economic situation. It’s almost poetic the way that story lied its way to the truth.
If my dad were running for office, and I had to say to him that while he’s the best dad in the world but I thought there was a better candidate in the running so I wouldn’t be supporting my dad, it not only wouldn’t cause a family schism: my dad would probably be really kind of annoyed with me if I supported him against my conscience, because he and my mom brought their children up to think for ourselves and vote our conscience.
I really have to wonder if she’s listened to the REST of that Rise Against album, or seen them live. “Swing Life Away” is a great song, but WOW is it different from their usual stuff. The only hint of their usual bias is in the line “we get by just fine here on minimum wage.”
And Tim’s voice usually sounds NOTHING like Dashboard Confessional.
*sigh*
Okay then, how about George II saying at a recent press conference (when asked about the possibility of $4 gas)
“Where did you hear that? I haven’t heard that…”
Sadly it is probably true that nobody is bringing any bad news to the King. His ignorance of the true state of this country is most likely not an act.
And McC would simply represent a third term.
Coldplay is somewhat annoying. But there are a couple of songs I like.
Interesting post on McCain’s daughter. I know that blood is thicker than political leanings, in many cases. But damn, that is such a waste of a possibly interesting person. Putting attractive and glossy lipstick on the pig that is the Straight Talk Express does her a disservice.
Hey Jesurgislac. Long time no see. I need to pop over and check out your live journal. It has been a while.
I don’t suppose that she might not be actually doing her own stuff there, making her own playlists, etc. Here’s a clue in your post:
a bunch more stuff that certainly passes a minimum hipness measure
You mean sorta like what a staffer would think she should be ineterested in to identify with young voters?
Not that politicians ever do things like that. I’m sure the periodic “what’s on Bush’s ipod” stories are just spontaneous investigative reporting and not press releases. Right?
Sarah, if my father were running, I’d work against him, conservative policies aside. It would be my moral duty as a citizen, even if he were as liberal as I am. He’d be a TERRIBLE president just as he’s a terrible boss and a wretched parent, because of his poor leadership skills and personality problems.
Classic millionaire’s bimbo daughter.
I am totally shocked that a pretended liberal would attack a female Republican through misogyny and expect everybody to nod knowingly. SHOCKED I SAY!
Cindy (and I really do not want another cutesy first lady)
You don’t get to vote on their wives, asshole.
“…lest they intimidate the easily intimidated white male voter who votes almost completely because he feels intimidated and needs someone to reassure him he has a big cock. ”
And your taken seriously by whom ?
#17 El Tiburon:
Word.
No pass from me because she happens to have a standard/cool taste in music and close family ties with her dad. She’s still denying her progressive principles and refusing to talk policy; taking the easy way out. Understandable, but not worth a free pass.
However, no person should get attacked on body image. She doesn’t deserve that and good for her for speaking out on it.
Here is quick take. (just by looking of her blog. so this can’t be a complete picture)
1. That blog is pure simple diary/travel log. It has no opinion whatsoever. (no political stance, no nothing. It’s 12 yrs old level of blogging.)
2. This damned blog is “campaign-blog” IT’s created solely for impression. Registed only few months ago. (archive is pretty thin too)
domain: MCCAINBLOGETTE.COM
created: 20-Sep-2007
last-changed: 26-Nov-2007
registration-expiration: 20-Sep-2008
nserver: ns57.1and1.com 74.208.2.9
nserver: ns58.1and1.com 74.208.3.8
http://www.networksolutions.com/whois/results.jsp;jsessionid=e24e06c1ccb20ffffffffd370756917037d3:q+FW?domain=mccainblogette.com
3. What kind of respectable blog come with disclaimer: “not affiliated with McCain campaign” 2007-2008. yeahh…right. And she picks up blogging habit just like that, after daddy runs for prez.
4. The playlist…is pathetically designed. It has ZERO personality and not making any sense except…it’s what everybody is listening. (here is how to tell, the spread of artis is too even within a narrow genre. there is almost no “overlapping. eg. if she like Donovan, then somewhere Byrd, Hollies…or something like that.
It could be that it’s her true collection, but then my impression. if she enters record stores, she just grab whatever is on top shelves.
eg. Is this even making any sense? (this is from her “little more personal” entry. Did she get this from “Target” best seller catalog? OR did her daddy campaign advisor says that’s what the ‘classy’ kids listen these days. no. sorry. that’s hard to believe.)
17 Beware of the Boys (Mundian to Bach Ke) Panjabi MC Beware
18 Mama Told Me Not to Come Tom Jones Reloaded - Greatest Hits
19 So What Miles Davis Kind of Blue
20 Fake It Seether Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces
21 Kashmir Led Zeppelin Mothership
5. no comment! (yeahh.what good is a blog without comment?)
Like I say, the blog has no soul. No thought, no emotion, no personality. You only get pure “how nice” impression.
It’s a prop. She is a campaign prop. (again, from the blog only)
She is a bimbo. Just stand an look preety. Don’t say anything except anything cute.
almost forget this part.
What kind of personal blog has “viewer mail?” seriously. Isn’t that what comment hooligans, net barbarians,…and friends are for?
http://www.mccainblogette.com/docs/viewer/
somebody should check that mailbox and check who is answering the email. (do ip trace) I bet it’s going to campaign office.
It’s not a good arbiter of hipness, if by “hipness” you mean “lefty/liberal politics.” Much as I’d like to believe all Republicans have a tin ear and a passion for Thomas Kinkade, it just ain’t so.
a hipster putting ‘Tom Jones’ in ‘a little more personal’… heh.
Did she sleep with him? ahahahaaaa… how old is she? (k. I need to be more serious about this.)
Oooh oooh oooh. Let’s compare some other commodities! I’ll get the ball rolling…
I’m the proud owner of a Hugo Boss silk velvet vest with beautifully enameled buttons.
Let the judgment commence!
She IS a commodity! (at least her blog) She is part of image designed to project presidential family.
That blog is no more than….tooth tooth brush or shampoo commercial with pretty girl. It is designed to create impression instead of communicating the thought of a person. (or whatever blogging is suppose to be…)
Somebody should create a SMURF blog … lol
(anybody notice that blog doesn’t even use standard CMS app? …. )
Here how to check..
that blog has been up for a year. google records 11K links.
Guess what. almost all of them is nothing more than “Meghan now has a site/blogs’ there is absolutely NOTHING ELSE. no opinion, no thoughts, no feedback. NADA.
effing celebrity spam blog.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=McCainBlogette.com&btnG=Search
—————
http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/page/news/48722-john-mccains-daughter-music-blogger
Back in my past life,” admits 23-year-old Meghan McCain in a recent posting on McCainBlogette.com, “I wanted to be a music journalist.”
Me: Shut the fuck up and start writing, instead of “i wanna this, I wanna that”
Wow. A Republican candidate’s daughter is advocating Health At Every Size. Unfortunately both Democratic candidates have indicated that they’re fully on board the “Fat Will Destroy Us All!!!!” wagon. Sigh.
@ Squashed:
I really don’t get how the first two of these lines fit with the third:
How can her public image be manufactured AND you know that she is a bimbo? EITHER the blog is genuine and you judge her bimbohood from that OR the blog is manufactured and you know jack shit about her. Myself, I’d rather not engage in shaming a young woman who puts her neck out there even if the blog is a little over sincere. She might be an apologist for her dad, but she seems thoughtful enough not to be hater and thats a good thing.
Does that blog reads like somebody with an art degree from Columbia? (I said strictly about that blog, since that’s about as much I know that touch this thread)
Is it not about a cartoon character to enhance presidential campaign? Do you actually believe that’s the level of awareness she suppose to have?
Bimbo or not bimbo. Maybe she is super savvy campaigner and decided that projecting a nice 12yrs old girl image is the best campaign image strategy.
But judging from technorati and google rating. That blog has no pulse. It doesn’t resonate or attract anybody. (I am being kind here and assuming that blog is a part of campaign strategy. )
But at any rate either she is bad at it or the image produced by campaign manager. There is nothing beyond few simple entries.
Just projecting pre-programmed image.
I too believe her to be a bimbo…not based on what is written, but from watching the linked video in which she actually speaks.
23 years old? At least Chelsea took her education and got a job (though I expect her interview consisted of one sentance “I’m Chelsea Clinton, and I want to work here”)
True story -
I attended Middlesex School in Concord Mass with John Kennedy in the 1970’s
His Harvard interview really did consist of “My name in John Kennedy and I want to come to Harvard.”
(Heard it from him - first hand)
I am afraid I must agree with those who believe that this whole thing is designed by, and monitered by the campaign. There is no possible way that the McC camp would let this girl (not woman) post unedited content.
And what exactly would y’all define as a bimbo? Is that a little bit like a dumb slut or a whore? In my opinion, insulting someone with misogynist language really does not advance your case. If she’s dumb/selling out, just say that, don’t add completely unrelated tags about her sexuality.
Also, there are plenty of young conservatives who listen to so-called ‘hip’ music. Especially if it has been repackaged to sell the latest gadget. Those people have got to be the very opposite of ’smart’ or ‘cool’.
My guess is that she probably keeps the blog as a way to “humanize” her dad but doesn’t intend to get into policy issues for fear of accidentally causing a controversy or saying something her dad disagrees with that people might take as his own opinion. Honestly, that makes sense to me, and if I’m right, she’s succeeded in her goal. I can imagine people reading her blog and thinking that she reminds them of their daughters or of people they know.
And frankly, even if she is more liberal than her dad, I see nothing wrong with her supporting him. I don’t like John McCain because of his politics, but I’ve always thought that if he was just a guy rather than a politician- like a relative or a family friend- I probably wouldn’t hate him. If Meghan gets along with her father and thinks of him as a good person, she probably supports the idea of him becoming president and, if she is a secret liberal, probably hopes she can influence him some.
atheist woman March 24, 2008 at 7:54 pm
And what exactly would y’all define as a bimbo?”
Unable to project her own image, sticking with the script. She is just another pretty sock puppet.
Hey, independence is overrated anyway.
Kay March 24, 2008 at 8:09 pm
. I don’t like John McCain because of his politics, but I’ve always thought that if he was just a guy rather than a politician- like a relative or a family friend- I probably wouldn’t hate him.”
On the contrary, she has the education, the privilage to afford answering some few basic question that average semi aware kids have ask.
- What about the war? Does she agree or not? What’s her general opinion and what does she think? (fair question to ask right? she is old enough to serve in the army, if her dad wants another 100 yrs of war)
- What does she thinks about women’s right in general? (Nothing too complicated, just her take as a woman and how it square with her dad policy. It’s her basic self interest that is tied to public good. No way she hasn’t thought about this.)
Now, we all know the basic answer of course, but how she square it with her dad’s politics that makes her a person. (And she has the education and resource to stand up.)
I’m kinda sad- because McCain seemed like such a nice guy on the Daily Show. Funny, personable, could go back and forth with a humourhost.
Nowadays I’m just sad to see the backsliding and the ass-kissing of every repugnant a-hole that runs red.
*sigh*
I’m sure his daughter is nice too. She seems normal. Maybe.
I’m not seeing the kind of flip-flopping her dad is doing on that blog.
There’s this in her quickie profile though ‘She is a Scorpio.”
Why do scorpios announce that theyre scorpios so much more than other signs? Not that it makes a difference but it’s kind of amusing.
Just to prove any fucking idiot can create a playlist
Here is a political twist against her December 11, 2007 “personal” list. Same artist, different song and completely different message.
(actually, that list is half decent, wiggle toes sort of way)
http://www.mccainblogette.com/docs/playlist/
Thievery Corporation - Until The Morning
Led Zeppelin vs The Doors - Break Through Love
Editors - The Weight Of The World
The Smiths - Girl Afraid
The Pierces - Lies
Gorillaz - Rock The House
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Weight Of The World
Ladytron - Blue Jeans (Interpol Remix)
Bad Religion - New Dark Ages
Iggy Pop and The Stooges - Burning Up / Ray of Light
Nina Simone - Funkier Than A Mosquito’s Tweeter
Spoon - Lines In the Suit
Blondie vs. The Doors - Rapture Riders (Single Edit)
Tom Jones & The Cardigans - Burning Down the House
Miles Davis featuring Nas - Freedom Jazz Dance (Evolution Of The Groove)
Meat Beat Manifesto - Bush Of Lies
Screeching Weasel - I Hate Led Zeppelin
She’s a vapid PR flack whose website is a transparent attempt to humanize dear daddy warmongering McCain but you like her for her taste in music?
Her co-bloggers are media professionals who take campaign approved pictures and video to which she adds her inane narration and her entire gimmick is to act girly and not say anything of note.
She’s a prop and apparently she enjoys it.
Sorry, not getting the love. Liking people for their taste in music is grade-school shit, like being friends with the kid next door because he has cool GI Joes.
…The cheerful, matter-of-fact, and unwavering body-acceptance is pretty goddamned cool, though. And if she’s sending that message to a bunch of conservative women and girls — well, so much the better for them, no?
If one’s family loyalty trumps intellectual honesty and political beliefs, then one belongs in late XIX century Sicily.
Meghan McCain’s musical taste could be perfect for all I care, she’s still trying to get a creep into the Oval Office. To hell with her and her playlist.
I started thinking about this thread as I fell asleep last night.
OK, so Meghan McCain isn’t a leftist. She isn’t really “one of us”. She may or may not actually have good taste in music.
So what? I’m still happy she has a good attitude about her body and she thinks it’s important to send the same message to the Young Republicans who probably make up the bulk of her blog readership. Or even if nobody reads the blog, it’s still cool that she had the thought “dude, liposuction is lame, women should be comfortable in their own skin.”
Regarding her status with the McCain campaign, and what we would all do in her shoes. Well, OK if my mother ran for federal office, I would probably not publicly associate myself with her campaign because she is a wingnut (even though I love her and I would support her privately because god knows she’s done the same for me, even when we’ve disagreed).
But what if it was my dad? My dad is a little more centrist than I am, and he definitely has a more reactionary take on social issues, but in general we agree a lot, politically. And his heart is in the right place. I’m sure a lot of people out there would disagree violently with both of us and think I was hurting the country (or whatever) by working for his campaign. Well big fucking deal. It would be MY choice to become involved or not, based on MY politics, MY family relationships, and most of all, MY circumstances. It’s none of anybody else’s business.
I also wonder if Meghan isn’t looking at this practically, in terms of her own future. Working the campaign trail would look great on a resume. The career advantages alone would make working in my father’s hypothetical campaign look very attractive.
Not to mention, of course — what if one of Obama’s daughters was older, and doing the same thing? I’d put money on right-wing types complaining that it was a PR stunt, she’s a “rich bitch”, a “bimbo”, has “typical black girl” taste in music, etc. etc. And we’d all think they were terrible for saying so.
Amanda:
This was a painful post to read. Haven’t you read Thomas Frank? It seems to me that you’re unreflectingly falling into the “lifestyle as politics” trap that has swallowed the Left in the past 40 years.
Musical tastes are entirely apolitical. Period. Lots of fascists loved very good music.
Having a sane attitude toward body image is almost entirely apolitical. Yes, it is marginally relevant to some feminist concerns, but it is basically a lifestyle issue.
The more this meme gets propagated, the more George W. Bushes we’ll end up with in power because, actual policy positions aside, they seem like someone you’d like to have a beer with.
Really, I feel like this should be close to the top, if not the top, cultural meme the Left needs to deconstruct in America is we’re going to make any progress.
(Note that I’m not calling this woman a fascist, nor am I even saying that she’s wrong to campaign for her father. All I’m saying is that her penchant for indie rock is completely irrelevant to her politics, and any implication that it’s not helps the party of unreason and hurts the party of reason.)
“The more this meme gets propagated, the more George W. Bushes we’ll end up with in power because, actual policy positions aside, they seem like someone you’d like to have a beer with.”
Can I just go off on the fucking “he’s a guy you’d like to have a beer with” bullshit meme?
George “Party Boy” Bush would actually be the rich asshole who’d make fun of your looks, make fun of your clothes, make fun of your name, and would then pour a beer on your head and laugh with his rich asshole buddies about you.
Would George W. Bush be fun to have a beer with? Only if you were also the overprivileged scion of some wealthy aristocratic Northeastern blue-blood family of rich assholes, just like him.
If you were just an average Joe? In George Bush’s world, you exist only to serve, not have a beer with him…
She listen to THIEVERY CORPORATION, and their latest album is denouncing the war.
I don’t know what kind of art history student without an ounce of irony sensibility, but this is closer to tone deaf. “Richest man in Babylon”? HALO? That song is inside her personal list.
Richest Man in Babylon’s Lyric.
(just because it’s in sweet downtempo lounge form, doesn’t mean it’s not taking a jab at politics. Thievery corporation labels is very active at anti war effort. They are based in DC. The song is straight forward with words sung clearly in slow pace. couldn’t clearer indictment of the entire corrupt adminstration. This album was released a little after 9/11-Iraq war begin)
There is no quidance in your kingdom
Your wicked walk in Babylon
There is no wisdom to your freedom
The richest man in babylon
Your beggars sleep outside your doorway
Your prophets leave to wonder on
You fall asleep at night with worry
The saddest man in Babylon
The wicked stench of exploitation
Hangs in the air and lingers on
Beneath the praise and admiration
The weakest man in Babylon
There is no hope left in your kingdom
Your servants have burned all their songs
Nobody here remembers freedom
The richest man in Babylon
(scat)
babylon no get rich again
but to end up sick again
and you end up weak again
babylon
(scat)
babylon you run
you better know you you better understand
the rancher man you better hear what we say
babylon this is your final day
babylon this is your final call
read the writing that’s on the wall
see divided we stand
and together we fall
you never know that
you not gon’ catch me in a rat pack
we not gon’ fall away from it jah
no way
http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/The-Richest-Man-in-Babylon-lyrics-Thievery-Corporation/31093018F924C08B48256DD7000DC891
I was all set to chime in with a defense of Meghan McCain, but then I saw this:
“I like bad boys for the most part,” Meghan adds. “In the past, I have liked tattooed guys who wear Converse.
She and her “hip” playlist can go jump in a lake for all I care.
http://men.style.com/gq/blogs/gqeditors/2008/03/caps-font-var-1.html
*smh* I love Dita Von Teese, too. I will say that if you want to be promptly availed of a belief that cool interests/good taste makes for cool people, go to a white supremacist website and listen to them talk about non-race related topics. I was like “ATHF, Misfits? You can’t take that s***, that’s my s***!!!”
“I like bad boys for the most part,” Meghan adds. “In the past, I have liked tattooed guys who wear Converse.”
What about this quote in particular got your goat, Notorious?