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Jeet Heer @HeerJeet
, 6 tweets, 1 min read Read on Twitter
1. John McCain lived a long, eventful life but I think for the foreseeable future his legacy will be bound up with his last few years, when he seemed to be one of the few alternatives inside the GOP to Trump.
2. But to see McCain just as Trump's foil is to over-simplify. McCain was both the alternative to Trump but also a precursor. Their paths diverged, but before divergence the paths had some important overlap.
3. To understand McCain worth pondering the larger political project (called "American greatness conservatism" by people like Brooks & Kristol) that McCain was part of. American Greatness was different from MAGA but also prepared the path for MAGA.
4. American Greatness conservatism might be defined as an expansive nationalism with at least some inclusive aspiration, as against the cramped, spiteful resentful nationalism of MAGA.
5. And of course in choosing Palin as running mate in 2008, McCain helped prepare GOP for Trump. Also by running in 2010 on promise to "complete the dang fence."
6. For more on McCain as the alternative to Trump who also prepared the way for Trump, see here: newrepublic.com/article/150895…
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