McCain is More Interventionist than Bush, Affirms Biographer
Published in O Globo
(Brazil) on June 11, 2008
by Daniel Buarque (link to original)
Researcher Matt Welch affirms that the Republican candidate is different from the President. According to Welch, McCain believes that the United States should be a global empire and the world police.
Pointed to as a copy of George W. Bush by his Democratic opponent Barack Obama, the Republican candidate John McCain is a politician different from the current president of the United States, according to the author of his political biography, Matt Welch. "Different both in a good and a bad sense," affirms Welch.
"In a bad sense," he says, because he is a politician, "much, much, much more interventionist than Bush has ever been," in international politics. In Welch's opinion, McCain believes that the United States must reinforce itself as a global empire and the world police, even if it's necessary to keep acting according to the preventive war doctrine.
"In a good sense," he is a unifier, able to work together with political opponents to attack real problems such as global warming, a point ignored by Bush's administration.
Author of "McCain: The Myth of a Maverick," Welch reveals he sympathizes with McCain's personality, but admits he won't vote for the Republican candidate because of "political disagreement." He thinks McCain can win the presidential race, but he would have more of a chance if the United States were to be attacked by terrorists before November.
G1--The Democrat candidate, Barack Obama, has said that a John McCain victory would be the third mandate of George W. Bush. Can we affirm that Bush and McCain are the same?
Matt Welch-–No, and Obama has been using that idea exactly because it's a violent attack against McCain. American people are so tired of Bush and the Republican Party that the affirmation is a strong force against him.
Actually, McCain is different from Bush, both in a good and a bad sense. International policy is one of the most important issues in the presidential race, and McCain is much, much, much more interventionist than Bush has ever been.
In 1999, McCain disputed the Republican race with Bush and he was the neo-conservatives' favorite candidate, the same people who strongly influenced Bush after the September 11th attacks. McCain has always been a defender of preventive wars, before it became the Bush administration's doctrine. He is much more belligerent towards countries he considers a threat such as Russia, Iran, and China. It's part of his military education, which sees the United States as a global empire. He believes in the ideology that the United States is the world police, responsible for global security. Bush ended up acting like that, but he had never been part of that ideology as McCain is. In this way, McCain is different from Bush, and it is in a bad way for for those who think it is negative.
The other side is that he believes in the urgency of problems that have been ignored by Bush such as global warming. He has a unifying personality that allows him to work closer with political opponents. Besides that, he also might be described as an interventionist with internal politics, such as with the American economy, which puts him closer to Democrats.
G1--How will McCain face popular opposition to the war and handle his interventionist and belligerent personality?
Welch--He will have an ambiguous campaign. He has already been reinforcing that he is more moderate than Bush in regards to international politics, saying that he has been in a war and he is against wars, but he won't cede completely.
McCain obtained the Republican candidature supported by Independent and Democratic electors so he needs to give up on those armament characteristics in order to keep those votes. At the same time, he won't give up on his personality. It's a schizophrenic position. It's difficult.
G1--Do you think McCain has a real chance to win the election?
Welch--Yes. I wouldn't bet on his victory, but I must admit that the American population, even those who criticize the international policies of Bush and McCain, trust more in McCain's ability in war than in Obama's. That confidence in his capacity to keep national security might help him. Though I think he would have more of a chance if the United States were to be attacked by terrorists before the elections. His campaign would be reinforced if there was something making people afraid for their security.
G1--Will his campaign be based on national security?
Welch--Yes. That's one of the most interesting points in the campaign we're watching now, because both candidates have totally different points of view about Iraq and international politics. It will be quite a clear choice and that's the most important topic for the campaign.
G1 - Will President Bush be important in the campaign?
Welch--He might help get funds. He'll rarely be by the side of McCain in order not to support Obama's idea that they're the same. Bush's popularity is really low now and he shouldn't do anything to annoy McCain.
G1 - Do you think Obama and McCain will respect each other or will it be a campaign of violent attacks?
Welch--It'll be a respectful campaign. Both candidates are calm and will keep far from hard topics. I think the real race will be for the independent electors and both will respect each other and argue clearly, with no polemics.
G1--Do you personally sympathize with John McCain? Will you vote for him in the elections?
Welch--I won't vote for McCain, I guess, unless I want to increase my book sales (laughs). Although I don't support his election, I admit I sympathize with him and that's why I decided to research his political life to write the book. I think he's a real American hero, with strong human characteristics. I disagree with many of his political views but I think he's really interesting.
Pointed to as a copy of George W. Bush by his Democratic opponent Barack Obama, the Republican candidate John McCain is a politician different from the current president of the United States, according to the author of his political biography, Matt Welch. "Different both in a good and a bad sense," affirms Welch.
"In a bad sense," he says, because he is a politician, "much, much, much more interventionist than Bush has ever been," in international politics. In Welch's opinion, McCain believes that the United States must reinforce itself as a global empire and the world police, even if it's necessary to keep acting according to the preventive war doctrine.
"In a good sense," he is a unifier, able to work together with political opponents to attack real problems such as global warming, a point ignored by Bush's administration.
Author of "McCain: The Myth of a Maverick," Welch reveals he sympathizes with McCain's personality, but admits he won't vote for the Republican candidate because of "political disagreement." He thinks McCain can win the presidential race, but he would have more of a chance if the United States were to be attacked by terrorists before November.
G1--The Democrat candidate, Barack Obama, has said that a John McCain victory would be the third mandate of George W. Bush. Can we affirm that Bush and McCain are the same?
Matt Welch-–No, and Obama has been using that idea exactly because it's a violent attack against McCain. American people are so tired of Bush and the Republican Party that the affirmation is a strong force against him.
Actually, McCain is different from Bush, both in a good and a bad sense. International policy is one of the most important issues in the presidential race, and McCain is much, much, much more interventionist than Bush has ever been.
In 1999, McCain disputed the Republican race with Bush and he was the neo-conservatives' favorite candidate, the same people who strongly influenced Bush after the September 11th attacks. McCain has always been a defender of preventive wars, before it became the Bush administration's doctrine. He is much more belligerent towards countries he considers a threat such as Russia, Iran, and China. It's part of his military education, which sees the United States as a global empire. He believes in the ideology that the United States is the world police, responsible for global security. Bush ended up acting like that, but he had never been part of that ideology as McCain is. In this way, McCain is different from Bush, and it is in a bad way for for those who think it is negative.
The other side is that he believes in the urgency of problems that have been ignored by Bush such as global warming. He has a unifying personality that allows him to work closer with political opponents. Besides that, he also might be described as an interventionist with internal politics, such as with the American economy, which puts him closer to Democrats.
G1--How will McCain face popular opposition to the war and handle his interventionist and belligerent personality?
Welch--He will have an ambiguous campaign. He has already been reinforcing that he is more moderate than Bush in regards to international politics, saying that he has been in a war and he is against wars, but he won't cede completely.
McCain obtained the Republican candidature supported by Independent and Democratic electors so he needs to give up on those armament characteristics in order to keep those votes. At the same time, he won't give up on his personality. It's a schizophrenic position. It's difficult.
G1--Do you think McCain has a real chance to win the election?
Welch--Yes. I wouldn't bet on his victory, but I must admit that the American population, even those who criticize the international policies of Bush and McCain, trust more in McCain's ability in war than in Obama's. That confidence in his capacity to keep national security might help him. Though I think he would have more of a chance if the United States were to be attacked by terrorists before the elections. His campaign would be reinforced if there was something making people afraid for their security.
G1--Will his campaign be based on national security?
Welch--Yes. That's one of the most interesting points in the campaign we're watching now, because both candidates have totally different points of view about Iraq and international politics. It will be quite a clear choice and that's the most important topic for the campaign.
G1 - Will President Bush be important in the campaign?
Welch--He might help get funds. He'll rarely be by the side of McCain in order not to support Obama's idea that they're the same. Bush's popularity is really low now and he shouldn't do anything to annoy McCain.
G1 - Do you think Obama and McCain will respect each other or will it be a campaign of violent attacks?
Welch--It'll be a respectful campaign. Both candidates are calm and will keep far from hard topics. I think the real race will be for the independent electors and both will respect each other and argue clearly, with no polemics.
G1--Do you personally sympathize with John McCain? Will you vote for him in the elections?
Welch--I won't vote for McCain, I guess, unless I want to increase my book sales (laughs). Although I don't support his election, I admit I sympathize with him and that's why I decided to research his political life to write the book. I think he's a real American hero, with strong human characteristics. I disagree with many of his political views but I think he's really interesting.