Think A Happy Thought

I’ve made no bones about my general dislike for John “Maverick” McCain nor my sore disappointment at his ascendancy to the GOP presidential ticket. However, I believe that I have found my Peter-Pan-flying-happy-thought/Harry-Potter-produce-a-patronus-thought concept that will allow me to pull the lever for McCain this November.
Well, to be truthful, it’s two thoughts.
First off, there’s the specter of Nuremberg-style tribunals for Bush administration officials:

I think the thing to emphasize here is that this is a serious conversation going on among people who might have influential voices or play influential roles in an Obama administration. Many of them want to put John Yoo — a special favorite of theirs — on trial, whether before a Nuremberg-style tribunal, a criminal court, or a truth commission with as-yet unspecified powers. And, of course, they wouldn’t stop with Yoo; if they had their way, they would likely have a long list of former Bush administration officials to put in the dock. They are serious.

Second, there are the efforts of groups like Accountable America:

Nearly 10,000 of the biggest donors to Republican candidates and causes across the country will probably receive a foreboding “warning” letter in the mail next week.
The letter is an opening shot across the bow from an unusual new outside political group on the left that is poised to engage in hardball tactics to prevent similar groups on the right from getting off the ground this fall.
Led by Tom Matzzie, a liberal political operative who has been involved with some prominent left-wing efforts in recent years, the newly formed nonprofit group, Accountable America, is planning to confront donors to conservative groups, hoping to create a chilling effect that will dry up contributions.
“We want to stop the Swift Boating before it gets off the ground,” said Mr. Matzzie, who described his effort as “going for the jugular.”
The warning letter is intended as a first step, alerting donors who might be considering giving to right-wing groups to a variety of potential dangers, including legal trouble, public exposure and watchdog groups digging through their lives.
The group is also hoping to be able to respond if an outside conservative group broadcasts a television advertisement attacking Senator Barack Obama, or another Democratic candidate, by running commercials exposing the donors behind the advertisements.

This sort of behavior is disgusting and, frankly, beyond the pale. Undertaking actions that essentially threaten to blackmail potential donors to opposing causes and turning political decisions by the other party into potentially criminal matters are enough to convince me that, despite my reservations about Johnny Mac, we simply cannot afford to have hyperpartisans like that anywhere near the reigns of power. I simply see no other viable alternative.