History tells us of a West Point General who graduated last in his class, General George Armstrong Custer.  It turns out he was a little man with a huge ego.  His scouts said, Don’t go down in that valley – there are ten thousand Indians waiting to scalp you.  But General Custer had his eyes on the Presidency and needed a victory to seal the deal.  John McCain is shaping up to fulfill Custer’s dream.

John McCain likes the term ‘maverick.’  It is more dignified than ‘rebel’ or ‘outsider’ or ‘troublemaker’ or ‘difficult.’  He thinks of himself as Tom Cruise in a fly boy movie.  McCain, by his own admission, was rebelious while at the Naval Academy at Annapolis.  He graduated 894 out of 899 cadets.

This writer does not care about his class rank, except he has followed that achievement with a history of being recklessly rebelious.  That is the George Custer connection.

Modern management gurus have a few interesting sayings, like “Think outside the box,” or “If it ain’t broke, break it.”  The implication finds meaning in innovation – these sayings do not promote rebeliousness.  Geroge Armstrong Custer finally achieved fame – long after his death – as a reckless egotist bent by his own ambition.

John McCain has proven himself reckless with the campaign process.  His campaign is charging around making false accusations, outright lies, and attempting to distract from real issues of economics, national security, health care, jobs, a mortgage crisis, and education.

General Custer was reckless, but until the Battle of Little Big Horn he escaped with his scalp.  He was successful at attacking helpless people, women and children with no defense, and even real fighters when vastly outnumbered.  John McCain has been successful in attacking poor people, those with meager jobs and meager education.  He has been successful in attacking the under privileged.  He has been successful in championing violence as a solution to foreign affairs.

John McCain, a man once revered by this writer, has allowed his ego to overwhelm his judgment.  His desire to be President will lead him into any unworthy and ill advised strategy. He is prepared to take this country into any ill advised war, even when the scouts say “Don’t go down in that valley.”

This sort of ambition should never be rewarded.