Stick to Your Guns

The day after Goldwater got trounced in 1964, the boys went back to the normal routine in the bathroom at school. I took some ribbing but never once thought, “I guess their parents were right and mine were wrong since they voted for the loser.” Dad never told me he was picking the winner. He listened to the speeches (including Reagan’s) and told me his choice.

It wasn’t about winning; it was a case of “sticking to your guns.” Dad used to say that whenever our conviction or choice was out of step with those around us. “Stick to your guns” was his four-word version of “What’s popular is not always right; and what’s right is not always popular.” His eyes smiled with resolve whenever he said those four words.

After a brief sabbatical, Goldwater reclaimed his Senate seat for Arizona. He served a total of 30 years and retired in 1987. His vacated seat was filled by a man named John McCain. Like Goldwater, McCain is a maverick and has enjoyed media doting for several years, but he is also a hawk in support of a strong finish to the ugly business of war in Iraq. Because of that he'd better begin preparing for slings and arrows from all sides, which will in turn make him even more cantankerous (like his predecessor). I have flat-out disagreed with both Goldwater (now deceased since 1997) and McCain many times through the years, but I would say that both men’s careers reflect what it means to “stick to your guns.” For that they will be remembered with or without a presidency.