A Reverse Chameleon

Littlechild@emperorsnuclothes.com/ September 2, 2018/ Uncategorized

A chameleon is a reptile that can change its appearance at will, usually for the purpose of blending in with its environment. No mater whether that appearance is green, brown or tan, we still perceive or observe, however, that its “essence” is that of a chameleon. A “reverse chameleon” is someone or something who’s appearance remains the same but perception of its “essence” varies. And this phenomenon often has more to do with the one doing the perceiving than the thing itself.

Harvey Weinstein is a great example. At one time he was perceived to be a brilliant movie producer and an avant guard supporter of liberal causes (including feminism, by the way). However, in late 2017, as one woman after the next (EIGHTY in all!) came forward describing his repulsive sexual behavior toward them, our perception of the man turned into that of a lecherous lout with the ethics of a troglodyte. The man himself was the same before and after his “outing”, but our perception of him changed dramatically. He became a pariah, as he should be.

Another great example of a reverse chameleon is none other than fired FBI Director James Comey. Comey had been described as “brilliant” by a fawning and partisan press corps while he was exonerating the overtly guilty Hillary Clinton in the summer of 2016. Then, in October of 2016, he was called, by the SAME press corps, “self serving” and “foolish” for reopening the Hillary Clinton investigation in response to a newly discovered trove of Hillary emails. Amazingly, however, he became “brilliant” again when, several days later, he exonerated her for a second time just before the November, 2016 election. But, in yet another twist, he soon became “self serving” and “foolish” again when Hillary went on to lose the election, and Comey became a scapegoat. The man himself did not change, of course. Through it all he remained the same weaselly, duplicitous, self serving fraud that he always was, but America’s perception of him, especially among those in the Democratic Party, changed radically.

But, even in America’s rather crowded field of “reverse chameleons”, there’s someone that deserves special mention: John McCain. His case is noteworthy because the changing media perception of him was not really the result of new revelations about him, but rather, the shifting needs of the Democratic Party and our nation’s leftist/liberal/progressive cabal.

In the year 2000, during his unsuccessful campaign against George W. Bush (who was perceived by the press to be the LESS liberal candidate) for the Republican Presidential nomination, McCain was praised by the press as a patriot, experienced statesman, a “uniter”, and a better choice than his more conservative opponent, Bush. Subsequently, however, in his campaign in 2008 against Obama for the Presidency, McCain was branded a “loose canon”, “flighty”, senile, too old to be president, and, too wealthy to boot. Then, in another twist, from 2016 on, McCain became highly regarded AGAIN, this time for his “in your face” criticisms of Donald Trump (only ex-CIA Director John Brennan has been more rabid). So he is now lauded for his bipartisanism and patriotism. Past criticisms seem to have vanished into thin air!

These shifting assessments tell us more about the liberal commentators and denizens of the Democratic Party than of McCain himself. The shifts were the direct result of the Democratic Party’s need to “neutralize” McCain when he was a threat and lionize him when he was ally. This phenomenon was well summarized in a reader response that I came across while researching this essay. The reader, Susan L Rosenbluth, responding to an online article praising the newly departed Senator, posted this: “I wish the tributes now coming in for John McCain had been paid to him when he ran for President in 2008. Where were all the references to his patriotism, character, moral judgement and wisdom then”? Where, indeed! Well said, Susan.

And, with his death, McCain’s stature seems to have gone stratospheric. He’s now being canonized as something of a “secular saint”. Through all of the up and down perceptions of him, however, McCain remained the same irrational and impulsive “maverick” he always was. But our perception of him has, literally, been “all over the map”, making him quite the “reverse chameleon”.

Watching part of the commemorative proceedings in DC today, I couldn’t help be struck by one last irony. Meghan McCain (of the über liberal talk show, The View, comprised of several not too smart liberal mouthpieces), as well as Obama, both speaking at today’s ceremonies, professed the wish that Washington could turn away from its current acrimonious and partisan modus operandi, returning to a more polite and cordial style. But, then, both proceeded to use their eulogies as poorly veiled diatribes against the President! Well, which is it guys? Cordial, bipartisan sentiment, or continued rancor? Looks like Meghan and Barack have already made their choice.

P.S.: The term “reverse chameleon” (which I may have coined) should be distinguished from the concept of “chameleon EFFECT” which is used in modern psychology to refer to the tendency of an individual to consciously or unconsciously mimic the mannerisms and behaviors of another individual, usually for the purpose of engendering a positive response (approval, friendship and the like) in the individual being mimicked (the “chameleon effect”), but occasionally producing negative feelings instead (the “reverse chameleon effect”). My use of the term without the word “effect” differentiates it from the psychology usage.