McCain Camp Worries It Will Be Overshadowed Until Democratic Convention

John McCain has been forced to play the pip-squeak all week. The candidate has been trying to get one word in edgewise while Barack Obama has been swarmed by adoring officials and supporters overseas. Even when the McCain camp tried to drum up media criticism around Obama canceling a visit to US troops in Germany, they were silenced and made to look like the ones who had gaffed. They criticized Obama for canceling the trip, only to be told later that it was in fact a long-standing Pentagon policy that had forced the cancellation.

With the Olympics starting August 8, the McCain camp is now nervous it won't be able to get a word in before the Republican National Convention in September. The Washington Post suggests that fear will spur McCain to name a running mate very soon so his decision won't be overshadowed.

The Washington Post should beware of the McCain camp on this issue. Conservative columnist Robert Novak said they may have used him this week to drum up VP speculation. The ultimate reason for using Novak was of course to get some time in the spotlight!

Read below. McCain aides are indicating his decision will come very soon.

Anxious to counter the blanket media coverage that has followed Sen. Barack Obama on his overseas journey, Sen. John McCain is weighing whether to announce his running mate in the coming weeks before the spotlight shifts to China and the opening of the Olympic Games next month.

"He's in a position to make [the decision] on short notice if he wanted to," said Charles R. Black Jr., one of McCain's top political advisers.

Two top aides to the presumptive Republican nominee said the decision is likely to be announced after Obama returns from Europe on Sunday and before the Beijing Olympics begin Aug. 8. They said the campaign fears that unanticipated events coming out of China -- whether in the form of athletic accomplishments or human rights protests -- could deflect attention from the announcement if it were made during the Games.

The Olympics conclude the day before the Democratic nominating convention opens in Denver, and the GOP convention begins in Minneapolis-St. Paul just four days after the Democratic gathering ends.

Comments

[Teritt]

Where did you get that picture? The last time I saw a phone that big was an old episode of Miami Vice when Don Johnson had one of those on his boat.

[totalliberal]

I had one of those back in 1989. It cost me $1,200. People used to stop in the street and stare at this moder piece of technology when I was using it. Remember the ones that came before it were in a suitcases. It kind of suits the old codger though.

[cungar]

How much was the service? $100 for 3 minutes?

[CocteausTwin]

OK not being super rich myself, and not wanting it to be said I do not play fair -- is that a satellite phone?

I put the comment here just not to stop the humor.

[kainen]

mccain is so out of touch with modern day america

[OhMy]

"Left and right, all Americans know that freedom is better than slavery, that love is better than hate, kindness better than cruelty, tolerance better than bigotry. We don't always know how we know these things, and yet mysteriously we know them nonetheless.

The true complexity arises when we must defend these values in a world that does not universally embrace them -- when we reach the place where we must be intolerant in order to defend tolerance, or unkind in order to defend kindness, or hateful in order to defend what we love."

[BWonka]

Hang it up, Mc Loser. We know you're still here. We also know you WON'T be here after the 1st week of Nov.

Sad old man - too bad this is not just the BEST the G 0 P has to offer, it is ALL they have to offer. About as fulfilling as yesterday's Bratwurst.

[libs = kooks]

So long as you hippies are on the wrong side of the energy crisis, it really doesn't matter come November.

The worst thing for you would be if McCain picked Sara Palin for veep, then the barack has to put Hillary on his and that spells disaster.





Hillary '08

[AnnieinOR]

another R U S H T R O L L ~~~~~ L I B S = K O O K S~~~~~ W I T H A H I L L A R Y 08???

[Killosama]

get off my lawn you snot nosed punks!

[TheIndependenceParty]

Yeah, that works! Why don't you just send a smoke signal to her in Alaska and ask her to jump on her dog sled to arrive in time for the Republican Convention. Oh, ... and remind McCain she is not a "C**T" as he refers to them, but a woman, ... and things should work out great between them. Kind of a "Beauty and the Beast" ticket, eh?

[Coinyer101]

what's wrong with being a hippie,dude?

[DwH]

Right, and if McCain puts a leprechaun on his ticket, we Democrats better scurry to follow suit!

McCain is not leading the issues in this election, get used to it. He is simply reacting at thispoint to a masterful camapign run by the Democratic candidate.

McCain is already nearly irrelevant, and looks like he's ready for the cooler downtown. Walking dead, just like his positions on issues.

[KareninSac]

I remember those kind of cell phones McCain is holding--back during the Desert Storm days. I agree with Chuck Hagel. Start speaking about the FUTURE, not what happened in the past, McCain. And stop whining Republicans. If you have anything worth covering, you'll get press. I mean, the press is bending over backwards covering your presumptive nominee in the cheese aisle and chomping down at the sausage house. Are you totally out of steam so early in the campaign?

[eniobob]

I don"t see what the problem is.According to the talking heads and the "polls" this race is very ,very,very close.

[macbabe]

looks like a w(h)inner to me LOL

[Jeffin90019]

Please don't underestimate the importance of the youth vote. These are people who mainly have cell phones instead of land lines and, therefore, don't appear on any polls. These young people are also disproportionately Democrats. I believe the Obama victory is going to be huge. Young people want jobs, homes, and security. Extending the Bush brand with a doddering stand-in only serves up more of the same mess. Goodbye, Johnny Bo! Goodbye, Hillary. The 'old school' is out of session.

[Killosama]

meh not really but anything is possible

http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/article.php?id=AIA2008072401

[senorplaid]

Is that a real photo of McCain talking on a 20-year-old cell? Bet he also does his computing on an Apple II. No wonder he doesn't know about the Internets.

[adzeman]

Abacus.

[adzeman]

Should be pictured with a tin can and string...

[DFutureIsNow]

McGrumpy: Can you hear me now!

LOL

[NoSpinTruthZone]

Nah... he's got Colbert working the green screens... people will still think he's alive well until October..

[jpcline004]

that picture is hysterical. He was totally saying "how does this thing work?".

That huge cellularone phone is probably what caused the huge tumor in his cheek

[BUMbO]

And dangnabbit, he doesn't know how to use the confounded thng!

[AllenD]

Jeez, what in hell is he holding? Maxwell Smart's shoe phone?

[WolfLarsen]

You know it's a rotary cell phone too. I bet he has a Pong game in the basement that takes tokens. Slap on some Hai Karate, put on the dickey, fire up the Corvair, slam in a eight-track tape of Trini Lopez and take your sugarpie to the drive-in to catch a double feature. Someone put this antique back in the closet.....please.

[wizardofoz]

good one wolf,oh those were the days huh.

[scorpioleidy]

Sad. Old. Man.