McCain has done his legacy disservice

Samuel Johnson observed that "patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel."

I admire and thank John McCain for the remarkable sacrifices he made for his country and fellow servicemen during the Vietnam conflict, as all Americans do. I do not believe, though, that this glorious service to our country has privileged him to falsely question the patriotism of Barack Obama. In doing this, McCain insults the very idea of patriotism. He should be ashamed. There was a time, not long ago, when he deemed such scurrilous behavior beneath his own standard of dignity and fairness. But he has changed before our eyes.

A second Johnson observation is this: "Patriotism, therefore, may be justly doubted of him, who professes to be disturbed by incredibilities..."

The straw upon which McCain asks us to question Barack Obama's patriotism is that Obama served on two boards of directors of charitable foundations with William Ayers. For John McCain, the idea of Christian redemption has gone missing in action, now that time is short. In this attack, McCain falsely claims to be disturbed by an "incredibility," and in doing this, casts a shadow on his own patriotism. A sad end to his career - he abandons Lincoln for the likes of Rove, Atwater and Segretti.

Alfred Y. Kirkland Jr.

Elgin