John McCain's Rose Garden Strategy

He may not know how to text message, but John McCain sure can see the writing on the wall.

This morning's ABC News/The Washington Post poll gave Barack Obama a nine-point lead nationally. It was both statistically significant and the largest since both men have been made nominees. In addition, a host of state surveys came out too. Obama is looking good in electoral rich Pennsylvania, Michigan and Colorado. And perhaps most importantly, he is breaking the all-important 50% barrier.

Not only were the polls bracing for the McCain campaign, the trend lines read even worse. By a wide margin the voters consider Obama better able to handle the economy. The last time the McCain campaign played offense was "lipstick on a pig." A lot has happened since them -- none of it good for McCain. They wanted to 'get the ball back;' and when Obama made his conciliatory phone call this morning, an already vexed McCain campaign saw a chance to steal the ball.

The problems arising from this strategy are formidable. Obama made the first phone call. And when Obama did respond to McCain's suspension, he eviscerated McCain, saying he can, "deal with more than one thing at once." That could be one of the change lines in the campaign. It reinforces every negative stereotype about McCain and the Obama campaign can't be charged with, "playing the age card" since the opportunity was handed to them by McCain's own offer.

Obama gets a chance to talk about his multi-tasking abilities; calm, cool mind; and steady hand on the rudder. And because of McCain's "the fundamentals of the economy are good" line last week he looks incoherent, opportunistic and alarmist.

This suspension of this campaign for McCain holds other real risks -- most importantly, what if Obama goes to Oxford and holds an impromptu town hall meeting Friday night? It would get outrageous coverage all weekend on the 24-hour news shows, be the Sunday headlines in the paper and the buzz of the Sunday morning political shows.

The news channel debate about the suspension is whether or not it is a political stunt (see Sarah Palin). That is not what the McCain campaign wanted the debate to be. They wanted to put Obama on the defensive and it's just not working. The late night comedians are trashing him, the snap polls show the public ain't buying it, and right after saying it he did an interview with Katie Couric.

Over the next 72 hours we will see whether this risky strategy worked. But work or not, McCain knew he had to take a risk or he was headed for a double digit defeat.

The issue of the economy is not going away between now and Election Day. And if the election is about the economy, McCain loses. Clinton 1992 taught us, "It's the economy stupid." McCain should have been listening -- Barack Obama was. Americans at every level are hurting with this crappy economy and some are just plain scared to death -- in many cases rightfully so. (Ironically, George W. Bush has finally brought us together.)

When the history of this campaign is written it will go down as one of the key turning points in the campaign. This "Rose Garden Strategy" didn't work for Jimmy Carter and he was the incumbent. I don't see how it can succeed in these infinitely more cynical times. For McCain it will be seen as the beginning of the end.

Comments

[Jameszina]

Why can't the press talk to Sarah Palin ?

[oldfart1]

I do not understand how McCain has escaped general condemnation over the Georgia fiasco. Early in it he told the press that he had been on the phone with his good friend Mika Saakashvile assuring him of the complete support of the USA in any conflict with Russia. "We (Americans) are all Georgians!" Then we have Saakashvile giving Rice a tongue lashing because not only did US forces not back him when he attacked South Ossetia on 7 August but the US DoD announced that we would not enter the fight. Puten gets to appear to the World as defender of peace and stability in the region and the protector of small ethnic groups. All BBC reports were that the Russian forces were firm, polite, and professional and that the peoples of South Ossetia and Abkhazia are thankful for their protection from the Georgians much as the Muslims are thankful for the protection that we gave them from the Serbs. To cap it off, Azerbaijan is now diverting their oil to Russia.

All the Oregonians that I know think that McCain is a bumbling fool. No Republican running for office this year in Oregon supports McCain and several, including Senator Gordon Smith, publicly support Obama. In Washington State the Republican candidate for Governor, Dino Rossi, is trying to have the label "Republican" omitted from the ballots and from the voter pamphlets. The Democratic Party today filed suit to require that the ballots label him as "Republican".

[All in All]

I liked all of this Article & it's Points, However this is the Part-Point that I liked the most:

"When Obama did respond to McCain's suspension, he eviscerated McCain, saying he can, "deal with more than one thing at once." That could be one of the change lines in the campaign. It reinforces every negative stereotype about McCain and the Obama campaign can't be charged with, "playing the age card" since the opportunity was handed to them by McCain's own offer.

Obama gets a chance to talk about his multi-tasking abilities; calm, cool mind; and steady hand on the rudder. And because of McCain's "the fundamentals of the economy are good" line last week he looks incoherent, opportunistic and alarmist. "

The same THOUGHTS came to Mind when I first heard about McCain suspending His Campaign; I went into one of My Counter-Point-Fits & started thinking about how Sen.Obama should reply to Sen.McCain in the Media, ( I think Sen.Obama must have been reading My Mind on this Point too the fullest), Sen.Obama said & handled this situation exactly right!

[DarthVector]

I am totally sick of this ridiculous assessment that keeps flying about the place that McCain "has to take a risk in his campaign or face double digit electoral wipeout".

Bullsheeeeeeet.

It is PRECISELY BECAUSE McCain takes these risks in his campaign that he faces double digit electoral wipeout.

Obama team knew their mark would panic. It is the foundation of the campaign. They planned for this kind of meltdown to occur, with their gentle prodding as catalyst.

McCain can't help temperamentally but react react react, and turn twist morph. Had instead he stared Obama down from a coherent position, he'd have taken an unassailable lead.

Instead, he jumps from place to place, stunt to stunt, and looks flimsier every day.

Classic.

[Puller58]

McCain's handlers recognize that the economic fiasco would give McCain fits in a debate. They've decided to borrow a page from George H.W.Bush when he tried to hide out for a time in his race against Bill Clinton. (His moment of truth was his checking his watch during the debate with Clinton and Perot.) McCain is floundering, and his staff is clearly out of ideas. Which makes me wonder where the 527's ads are?

[FiveFortyOne]

McCain's actions yesterday show one of the many reasons he's not qualified to be Commander-in-chief. Is this how he'll deal with Putin? Make a public grandstand that forces Putin to dig his heals in? It's really shocking to me - and scary, considering the kind of foreign policy challenges the next US president has to face.

[Whinger]

Yeah! Talking to the fairy's at the bottom of the rose garden, just like George the Crusader!

[Chillinout]

I am hoping McCain stays in DC on Friday night. He said that if there wasn't a deal he wouldn't go to the debate. That way Obama will get 90 minutes of prime time to talk to the American people and take questions from the audience. Only a president gets that kind of coverage without paying for it.

[BAVirago]

Ay yi yi. Has McCain finally gotten into a mess that his increasingly inept campaign management can't spin? I almost feel sorry for the guy.

[AmericasMostGangsta]

don't! please don't!

[UrsaMajority]

I love the title -- the "Rose Garden strategy" was something that I was thinking about almost as soon as I heard McCain bail. But, of course, Obama can't disrespect Carter by bringing it up -- but that doesn't mean that wise folks like YOU can't do so. Tip o' the hat to ya.

I hadn't thought about the Obama Mississippi town hall meeting as an alternative, but it could be brilliant. The U. of Mississippi people don't lose their shirts, and Obama can use it as an opportunity to say, "I've been in Washington for the last few days working on this problem, but I'm taking an evening off to do something no one else has thought to do -- engage the people to find out what they think we should do about the economy." McCain will be stuck back in Washington under wraps being a typical Washington politician. And, while McCain will no doubt try to claim he's working while Obama's campaigning, Obama can respond, "Is chatting with Katie Couric and Lady de Redneck de Rothschild really suspending your campaign?"

[Anastasia]

Yes, to a town hall meeting! Brilliant!

I'd love to be a fly on the fly on the wall of the Republican caucus in the House and Senate. It's pretty hard to imagine that they would be thrilled with John McCain showboating on an issue that he, by his own admission, knows nothing about. Just when they are trying to behave like responsible adults, John McCain starts swinging from the chandelier. His recklessness is breathtaking.

[darker]

McCain is playing the American people as if they are "so stupid".

McCain's latest "soap opera" rush to Washington DC to "save the Economy" is absurd.
I'm sorry that MCCAIN becomes more and more a HYPOCRITE, the more he listens to
advice from his republican publicist handlers.

They sure do not want a McCain DEBATE with Obama on the economy Friday.
MCCAIN wants to CUT & RUN-- looks cowardly.
Suddenly McCain makesa big hullabaloo about running to WashDC to save the Economy? sounds too phony. who's he kidding? Maybe himself.

McCain and his VP pick are always shielded from saying anything to media for fear they'll screw up. That's not leadership--that's abominable!

I've had it with that republican circus sideshow.
No more years for corrupt republican liars.
My vote's for common sense & competence: Obama-Biden.

[Independent007]

I agree with your article. And its an angle that not many people have talked about.
McCain has run a dishonorable campaign.
Shame on him.

[jmundstuk]

Clinton 1992, not 2000.

[davidray]

welcome to fleeceonomics courtesy of W and McCain.

and there are still forty days left? jesus what next.

david ray
postcards from canuckistan

[boing007]

welcome to fleeceonomics courtesy of W and McCain.

and there are still forty days left? jesus what next.

Ask Palin. It must be God's Plan. Your guess is as good as mine.

[bacaja]

So much for McCain distancing himself from Bush, looks like they'll be joined at
the hip.