This happens to be a Web ad for John McCain, but that’s not the important thing about it; the only thing that makes it a McCain ad is that it was Sen. McCain’s campaign that released it. I think that fact speaks well of him, but this exact same ad could be released, unchanged except for the substitution of new images of a different candidate, for either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. Indeed, I could wish that both their campaigns would do that, as long as they then sought to campaign in accordance with the philosophy articulated in this ad.
The basic point is that we should feel free to argue, even fiercely, over our disagreements, but that we should do so with respect, remembering that our fellow citizens aren’t our enemies, but are our compatriots—we’re all on the same side. We need to learn to argue as friends and allies who are all seeking the good of our common nation, rather than as political opponents seeking to vanquish each other. (For help in doing so, see Timely Tips for Having a Civil Political Conversation.)