GANA

There was a moment in my lifetime when politics still gave me faith. It wasn’t because I agreed with everything being said, or because my ideology was perfectly represented. It was because I saw something that has almost disappeared today: mutual respect across the aisle.

When John McCain ran against Barack Obama in 2008, the differences between them were stark. Their visions for America diverged in deep and meaningful ways. Yet despite those differences, there was never a sense that one man was the enemy of the nation. They fought hard, but they fought fair. And at critical moments, they reminded us that politics does not have to be tribal warfare.

I’ll never forget McCain’s words when a supporter called Obama an “Arab” as a slur. McCain cut her off and said: “No, ma’am. He’s a decent family man, a citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues.” He defended his opponent’s character because he understood something we’ve lost: you can disagree with someone’s politics without questioning their humanity.

That moment gave me faith. Faith that no matter who won, laws would be passed, rules would be written, and directives would be issued with the belief that it was being done for the benefit of the American people. It wasn’t about tribal victories. It wasn’t about humiliating the other side. It was about leading with principle.

McCain and Obama did not blur their differences — they sharpened them. But they also recognized each other’s dignity. Obama respected McCain’s service and sacrifice. McCain respected Obama’s legitimacy as a leader. That mutual respect legitimized the process. It reassured me that America could survive political battles because our leaders understood that what bound us together was bigger than what pulled us apart.

I long for that again. Today, politics feels like a permanent tribal war. Opponents are not treated as rivals but as enemies. Laws are not judged by their impact on the people but by whether they serve “our side” or punish “theirs.” Trust has been replaced with suspicion, respect with contempt. And in that environment, faith in our politics collapses.

The last time I believed in American politics was when I saw two men, different in ideology, united in respect. McCain and Obama reminded us that politics is not about destroying your opponent — it is about proving your vision. They showed that you can fight fiercely without losing decency.

That kind of leadership didn’t make me naïve. It made me hopeful. Hopeful that character could still matter. Hopeful that the American experiment could survive differences of opinion so long as mutual respect survived with it.

We desperately need that kind of leadership again. Because without respect, all that’s left is tribalism — and tribalism can’t govern a nation.