John McCain Discovers You Only Get One Chance to Make a Last Impression

And now it was John McCain's turn. His big moment to convince Americans why the Republican party should be given the chance to fix the disastrous mess caused by the Republican Administration.

As the night before, with the vice-presidential nominee, I tried to separate myself from the process and instead watched the speech from three different perspectives.

The first perspective was looking at it from the viewpoint of an Undecided Independent voter who is hurting badly, and hoping for answers to help get out of the troubles. And who can best help accomplish that.

The speech was halting. Sen. McCain stumbled often, and made some mistakes - but mostly he didn't say much. He didn't even get to actual proposals for a half hour. And once there, he offered few specifics. Further, most of the specifics he did have seemed to be "let's change Washington by going back to the great values of the past." I could see someone hurting think, "Excuse me, but it's the screwed up past that got me here. I wan to move forward and get out of this."

Yet there was very little about helping people in need - in fact, bizarrely, the only time Sen. McCain really dealt with what to do, he exhorted people in trouble to volunteer for things (including...the army! Great, sign up for an unending tour of Iraq. There's a campaign slogan for the ages), his point being that when you're part of something bigger, you feel better about yourself and America. I'm sorry, say what?? (Besides which, the night before, Sarah Palin had whimsically trashed community organizers. Get your message straight, folks.)

Mr. McCain spent a great deal of time on education - important, to be sure, but hardly a major issue to the public right now, especially to those who've lost their homes and jobs. And his main focus on education seemed to be for school vouchers, something which plays swell to rich Republicans who want a break on private school tuition, but never has proved terribly popular with most other Americans. There were also several other suggestions about education I will openly admit I couldn't follow. Given that they got no applause, I'm guessing not many others could either.

Sen. McCain pretty much didn't deal with the economy, budget deficits, the environment or housing crisis at all. No big deal, those aren't very important issues to most Americans who are hurting - but that's only if you look at the list of "what's most important to you" upside down. Instead, he just kept hitting hard about how much he loved America and would always fight, fight for you. I believe the same could be said for "Rocky."

Try as I might, I just can't imagine people hurting, looking for leadership, taking much from this speech that would encourage them about getting out of the hole they're in.

On the positive side, the speech was excellent when John McCain wonderfully talked about his POW experience (surprise!). But most everyone already knows the bulk of the story, so its impact is lessened. And it came after about 40 minutes, by which point, for all we know, people turned off. (There were press reports of delegates falling asleep on the floor during the speech, so TV turn-offs seem like a serious possibility.) The speech was also excellent during its last, rousing minute. But that came at the 50-minute mark - at which point the people hurting had probably turned off their TVs to save on electricity.

But until then, what they saw was a speech delivered haltingly, by an un-invigorated 72 year-old man.

Then there's the perspective of viewing the speech it from Barack Obama's viewpoint. Watching it through his eyes, I got the sense that Sen. Obama probably found himself scratching his head bewildered and saying, "Er, he's not talking about anything. There are no specifics. And all those ideas are from the past. And...I mean, how can he talk about changing Washington when he voted with George Bush 95% of the time?? I don't get it"

On the positive side, it wasn't like there were many big "Whoaaa" zingers that Sen. Obama might hear to mark down on his note pad, just that it was a disjointed speech that had plenty for him to address when they meet in debate.

As for playing to the house -- honestly, it was muted. Nice applause throughout, but no roars. And this was an audience that would roar at just about anything, especially if the sentence included the words "I love America."

To explain the low-key reaction, it helps describing something quite strange that Sen. McCain did in his speech. He had once of those linguistic riffs we're used to in political speeches, saying "I'll do this wonderful thing, but Senator Obama will do this bad thing." And then another, and the crowd would react each time. But they'd react with a "Boooo," which tends to intrude. What I don't understand is why in the world he didn't simply reverse the order and say, "Senator Obama will do this bad thing...but I Will Do This WONDERFUL Thing!!" And then get a rousing cheer each time.

And the speech was over. People who saw it will make their judgment. But I just can't believe it roused many people. And I suspect it likely put more off.

Worse for the McCain team, what the failed speech meant is that it put the focus back on John McCain, and put the focus on the campaign trail, where he doesn't have any rousing groundswell as a result of his acceptance. And we know they're (understandably, but inappropriately) keeping Sarah Palin under wraps away from the press - since, after all, we know that the person a heart-beat from dealing with foreign leaders and terrorist nations shouldn't be expected to deal with tough question from the mean old press, so she can't help that much, even in nooks where hockey moms thrive. And then it'll be the debates, which I have been insisting for months will have far more impact than in most years - and the Republicans left themselves at risk there.

In the end, from most every perspective, the whole thing was a train wreck.

And he didn't even wear a flag pin...

Comments

[reelgrl]

Why does no one question McCain's mental stability as a result of the trauma of Hanoi Hilton? It is not unreasonable that his erratic behavior over the years might deteriorate into something more serious as he ages? I don't mean this facetiously.

[gvc]

I was amazed by how positive the pundits were, in general.

People will vote for him anyway. Hopefully, not enough.

[LCM1220]

Can somebody please explain to my WHY John McCain is a hero? Because he was involved in waging an immoral war against Vietnam and admittedly "showboating" while he did it? I find it disgusting when he smirks while saying "when I got shot down there was a crowd waiting for me"..... too bad the "crowd" didn't finish the job, We wouldn't be sitting here wondering if this arrogant, immoral "hero" will be the next president, along with his NRA card carrying, creationist, bimbo next to him. WHAT A COUNTRY!!!! In 8 weeks the entire world will know whether this American Empire will continue to self implode...­, Judging by what I'm seeing, I fear it will. I can only imagine what Putin is thinking..­.... does anyone know the Russian word for MORONS?

[nmjangirl]

Very well said!

[flanardiente]

"...anyone know the Russian word for MORONS?" -- DURAKI (sng. DURAK, accent on the last syllable) -- SUMASHEDSHIE, a little long, maybe, is also good ("mindless") -- but the best Russian word for our Republican friends is one that needs no translation for anyone who lived through the Cold War: APPARATCHIK.

[JimR]

There are a lot of good reasons whhy he should not be president, but John McCain IS a war hero.

"In mid–1968, McCain's father was named commander of all U.S. forces in the Vietnam theater, and McCain was offered early release. The North Vietnamese made that offer because they wanted to appear merciful for propaganda purposes, and also wanted to show other POWs that elites like McCain were willing to be treated preferentially. McCain turned down the offer of repatriation; he would only accept the offer if every man taken in before him was released as well.
In August 1968, a program of severe torture began on McCain. He was subjected to rope bindings and repeated beatings every two hours, at the same time as he was suffering from dysentery. Further injuries led to the beginning of a suicide attempt, which was stopped by guards."

Would YOU have done the same thing?

[CADeminVA]

In many respects I feel sorry for John Bush (as Tom Ridge tellingly slipped on MSNBC). The speech had nothing to cite as a positive from the last 8 years (except The Splurge). He offered no vision of the future, except to ask the voters to give him the chance to see if he could change his party's stripes (he can't).

The halting delivery and stumbles ("Sarah Palin has worked with her hands and nose") didn't help. The Lime Jello background and then the blank blue screen didn't help. The GOP, usually so adept at delivering images that hide their lack of substance, was unbelievably maladroit last night.

There is no reason to be overconfident, but I don't think the Obama/Biden camp is taking anything for granted.

[chiefeditor]

In case you weren't aware, he's in favor of national security: http://www.entertonement.com/clips/22515/John-McCain/RNC-2008-John-McCain-Speech/RNC-2008-Day-4/Keep-the-country-I-love-safe

Audio from the whole speech is up here: http://www.entertonement.com/collections/2917/RNC-2008-John-McCain-Speech?page=1

[londongal]

I listened for the first few minutes then I went to bed. I knew McCain wasn't going to talk about anything new, inspiring, etc. -- just a rehash of old ideas.

Snoooooooze!!!

[Bulldoglover]

Train wreck on the corner of Washington POW POW POW and Mooseburger Alaska. Get your free John McCain/Palin T- shirts and campaign memoribilla cheap here! The Party is ove'r.

[tompoe]

Time for Americans to review McCain's plan for education by having him trot out testimonials from New Orleans. It's a plan that speaks for itself.

[ToonMoene]

Hmmm, An I Cannot Count To Three Column.

[CaptainOzone]

I think your underestimating the power of the voucher idea. In the past, inner city parents finding their children in terrible public schools have been strongly attracted to the false promise of vouchers as a way out. This offer, like the frequently heard repuglican line "our tax cuts will let you keep more of your own money", is designed to appeal to those who have little and are desperate for improvements.

[emcd]

I don't have any facts to back this up. But in my state of WI, I get the feeling that the fundies liked the voucher idea until the minority children from inner city Milwaukee started using their vouchers to "invade" their schools. Like I said, just a feeling on my part, because the cheeleading seems to have lessened. Anyone else have thoughts about this?

[Palintology]

Does it really matter?

Israel will attack Iran by the end of October, and Americans will be stupid enough
to switch to McCain in droves.

[grendl]

Good article.

Watching the speech tonight I became a little sad for Senator McCain. Because he's not a bad guy, he's just a little lost right now. The maverick is still there but is now embattled with the guy the GOP wants him to be. He's living a lie, that's why he looks so uncomfortable up there.

Because he doesn't hate Democrats the way Bush and Co. does. Because he does believe in working together and reaching across the aisle to some extent. It's just he has no real vision for the future, and seems to equate the causes of this country during the first two World Wars, ones in which we were actually protecting ourselves and the world from tyranny, with Viet Nam and Iraq, two wars we initiated, where we played the bully.

No the war on terror should have always been about Al Qaeda and the Taliban. Period. Its sort of like that scene in Monty Python and the Holy grail when John Cleese attacks a castle hoping to rescue a damsel in distress only to find an effete prince, after disemboweling about half the castles inhabitants. Iraq was the wrong place, the wrong time.

I don't hate John McCain. I admire his courage and service, but he didn't learn the lessons from Viet Nam that he should've. Democracy comes from within a people. If they want it, its incumbent for them to rise up and storm the Bastille, not watch some invading nation do it.

[emcd]

Another McC koolaid drinker! Have you not seen all the documented instances of his vitriol against other members of Congress when crossed? Working across the aisle is fine, as long as you kowtow to St John the Maverick.

Being shot down and a POW proves to him that he loves our country more than anyone else and therefore is best to lead it. Anyone not buying into that is to be questioned. It's not about the country, it's about John fulfilling his role as the country's messiah (it's a complex).

And they talk about Obamas followers being delusional.