How McCain Created a Referendum on McCain

Why do John McCain's daredevil stunts recall George Romney's mangled syntax, Edmund Muskie's teardrops in the snow or Bill Clinton's relentlessly roaming eye? These campaign phenomena were not gaffes, not aberrations, but revelations, confirming what many voters suspected. They were epiphanies of character.

McCain is the perpetual rebel, a Waldo Pepper defiantly pursuing his own flight path, a Wrong-Way Corrigan untethered by message control, slipping the surly bonds of the Karl Rove junior varsity. But his zig-zag course violates Nolan's First Law of Presidential Politics: decisiveness and discipline matter above all.

In 1968, Mitt Romney's father was an intelligent governor of Michigan who had rescued an auto company and seemed an attractive alternative to Richard Nixon. The English language, however, was never his forte. When he confessed that the Pentagon had "brainwashed" him in Vietnam, his political career ended.

In 1972, Sen. Muskie had a reputation for calm, but many in politics and journalism knew his ferocious temper, which caused him to lose his composure in New Hampshire as he complained about editorials in the Manchester Union-Leader.

In 1992, Clinton endangered his candidacy with what his staff called "bimbo eruptions." He survived, but no one claimed that his reputation in Arkansas was one of steadfast and constant fidelity. In 1998, the eruptions returned, this time endangering his presidency. Clinton again survived, but the stain will persist in the history books.

Romney later became an excellent secretary of HUD, Muskie became Secretary of State and Clinton has launched a global philanthropy. But these revealing episodes have been lost on McCain, who has run the least disciplined presidential campaign since that of his senatorial predecessor, Barry Goldwater, in 1964.

Throughout the later primaries and through the conventions, the campaign was essentially a referendum on the relatively young, largely unknown Barack Obama. Yes, George W. Bush had ruined the Republican brand and shrunk the party's base. But Obama's exotic background, professorial style and, of course, his pigmentation, made McCain's task less formidable.
How did he react? He shortened the Republican convention because of a hurricane, thus avoiding a visit to St. Paul by President Bush and Vice President Cheney. He introduced Hurricane Sarah, who energized the base, but antagonized many outside the base. McCain has stood by her with the fierce self-righteousness his Senate colleagues recognize. In a series of loops, McCain flew his Sopwith Camel under the Brooklyn Bridge, to the delight of some and the confusion of many.

The man who brags frequently about shunning Miss Congeniality awards is noted for his short fuse and disdain for others. Like other senators, he can be bipartisan, but his attitude is not collaborative. With characteristic certitude, he suggests that he and his acolytes are more pure and more patriotic than other senators. He rides the Straight Talk Express, dispatching lesser politicians to the Liar's Shuttle. While changing campaign finance laws, he reenacted Chapter 21 of St. Matthew, overthrowing the tables of the moneychangers and implying that the Senate was a den of thieves.

Which presidential candidate has a messiah complex? And which candidate knows the difference between tactics and strategy?

McCain deployed the ultimate stunt during the meltdown on Wall Street. He would suspend his campaign, he said, and not resume until the financial crisis ended. He might not attend the first presidential debate in Oxford, Mississippi Sept. 25, either. He later relented even though the crisis continued.

McCain visited Washington, where he had not voted since April 8, and suggested he would inject his leadership skills into the situation. At the White House, he said little, deferring to others. Amid the economic news, McCain dominated the political debate, which swirled about him. Would he show up in Oxford or not? Would he help resolve the crisis or not? Did his views differ from House conservatives or not?

McCain excels at changing the subject, but eventually a tactics-over-strategy pattern made him look indecisive and worse, ineffective. In the first House vote, neither Obama nor McCain persuaded home state colleagues to support a bailout bill. From Obama's Illinois, four of nine Democrats voted no. All four Republican representatives of McCain's Arizona voted no. McCain's series of stunts succeeded in making the election a referendum on his judgment. Early returns from polls in swing states are not encouraging.

On the night of October 1, when he voted with the Senate's 74-25 majority, the maverick meekly and mutely rejoined the herd; McCain did not join the floor debate. His flight path has returned him to his handlers, who may help him figure out how to blame the financial crisis on gay marriage, sex education or a paucity of flag pins.

Comments

[Vere15]

How can we support a man who blew the treasury by faking intelligence and responded to 911 by attacking the enemy of our enemy, considering no Iraqis were involved in the attack.

In fact, as a failed fighter pilot, McCain has killed and wounded more American military personnel or even American citizens than the Iraqis did on 911 ( over 300, 134 killed, 161 wounded).

Declare war on John McCain the real enemy of America by voting Obama/Biden on November 4

[robertzimmerman]

"Clinton again survived, but the stain will persist in the history books."

The stain? That's hysterical.

[cjgnew]

Couldn't agree with you more. When McCain loses this election on November 4th, he should look in the mirror, because the reasons he will have failed will be right in front of him. Instead of looking in the mirror, however, I bet he will be blaming the press, the breaks, his advisors, Bush, and everyone else but himself. McCain has very little insight about his true self, and that, my friends, is why he has performed so poorly in this campaign. His own doings have exposed his true character to the American people.

Carlos Jean-Gilles
St. Louis, MO

[ItsaPalindrome]

It's true, McCain's true character has shown through over the course of this campaign, as illustrated in this Disney cartoon throwback starring John McCain, Swiftboat Willie:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjomYMe6t_U

Enjoy!

[shaytoonee]

Agree 100%. Mcain has acted completely erratic ever since he chose palin for his vp. shame on him. ppl are smarter than that.

His behavior the past month illustrates how he is not mentally/physically fit to be president of the US. He has not put his country first at all. he is so desperate to get into the white house that he will stoop so so low to do and say anything to get himself elected.

mcain= shameless = erratic = pathetic = desperate = NOT putting country first

[truthfulfact]

In the political arena the tactics chosen by McCSAin are distinguished as Carl Rove tactics. That means lie about self and make up extreme lies to desstroy your opponent i.e. win via lies. In individuals these tactics are indicators not only of character but aka 'persoanlity disorders'. The Rove tactics are the same tactics of cluster B personality disorders of Narcissism (serve only the self), borderline and tactics of sociopathic personalities. In common terms a Jekyll Hyde personality, scapegoating is more familiar. I applaud Keith Olberman for indentifying the mcCain camp deploys "projection" falsely accusing others of their behaviors, lies and stoop to tell lies to terrorize citizens just to win. To many truly religious people these are choices to act in evil..revealing their bogus claims evil be destroyed.

Gov. Palin was a terrific choice by Senator McCain for she is a convincing liar and obviously did not hesitate nor "blink", in fact she winks, is energized when delivering even blatant lies in false claims and lies assignating to annihalting opponents. The choice to deceive the people is not government nor officails on the side of the people. They are entitled to make up, lie about definitions of words also! Gov. Palin demonstrated entitlement that rules are not for her, protesting she not answer questions, is above all others including a national debate i.e. rules are not for them. This is blatantly a choice of no accountability and abuse of power by both.