Friday, August 08, 2008

McCain is the anti-Christ?

Ross Douthat thinks that anyone who thinks McCain is deliberately trying to appeal to the "Left Behind" crowd by implying that Obama is the anti-Christ is as loopy as those who actually believe that Obama might be the anti-Christ.

Let's lay it out real simple Ross:

1. There are a significant number of people who believe in the general story told in the "Left Behind" series: that a charismatic political figure will rise who will promise to unite the world but who will actually be the representative of Satan on earth meant to destroy us.

2. I think it is a given that more of these people are likely to vote for McCain than Obama.

3. McCain needs these people to win. The margins are close enough that he can't afford for them to be sidelined this election.

4. This crowd generally doesn't like McCain. Some of them outright hate him.

5. What's the best way to win these people over? Scare the bejeesus out of them. How do you do that? Play to their worst fears.

Would McCain do this? Of course he would. To me there is little doubt on that point. Ross apparently thinks otherwise and to such an extent he considers anyone who even suggests the idea is as f*cked in the head as those who buy into the whole anti-Christ complex.

Now, was this ad actually an attempt to dog-whistle the Left Behind crowd. I can't say for sure. But dismissing the idea as being equivalent to kooky end-timers is irresponsible.

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