The cancellation of the first night of the Republican National Convention marks the renewal of the rivalry between George W. Bush and John McCain. Since their bitter contest over the Republican nomination in 2000, they have taken years to make peace. But now McCain's last chance has collided with Bush's legacy.
Hurricane Gustav was "a big blessing," according to a source close to the McCain campaign. Facing a Katrina level wipeout--the landfall in St. Paul of both President Bush and Vice President Cheney--McCain felt trapped. How could he prevent the President and Vice President from appearing at the convention? Only an act of God could intervene. Suddenly, a hurricane whipped up in the Gulf and looked headed for New Orleans. Like a divinely inspired miracle, a storm to blow away Bush and Cheney had been conjured.
The McCain campaign and the Bush White House negotiated terms that unfolded as a script over the past several days, several sources told me. First, Bush announced he must oversee the preparations for dealing with the hurricane. He would not be able to attend the convention. Cheney, too, would drop out. In order that Bush and Cheney not seem to have been humiliated, McCain cancelled the entire proceedings for the first evening.
Almost certainly, Bush had to cancel his planned speech while Gustav loomed. But the sources say he didn't like the idea and felt pushed. Bush is described by sources as "furious" at McCain for being deprived of his last appearance before his party, which nominated him twice, as a sitting president. He believes he is being treated disrespectfully.
Shuttering the convention for a night was probably inevitable given the hurricane, but to provide a cover-up for scratching Bush and Cheney it became absolutely necessary. But once the hurricane passed, Bush asserted his primacy as president and forced his way back on the schedule to deliver a satellite speech to the convention.
McCain is desperately seeking ways to pivot from Bush, whose in-person appearance on the first night of the convention threatened to obliterate his message as a "maverick" and "reformer." Even though McCain himself would not be onstage, Bush and Cheney would have dominated the opening and underlined continuity between their administration and McCain. The cancellation of the first night of the convention is a small price to pay for their absence.
McCain's campaign is perfectly aware of the mortal danger of Bush's embrace. He has needed the president to rally the Republican base. But once he has the nomination his imperative is to project himself as an antidote to what has gone wrong with Republicanism.
McCain's political quandary is paradoxical. Bush has broken all parts of the Republican Party, as I document in my book, The Strange Death of Republican America. McCain's emergence as the party's nominee has been made possible by its crackup, which he must transcend. The primary field fractured the conservatives, none of whom were able to isolate the others and unite the whole movement. None could do what Bush achieved in 2000, running at the same time as the candidate of the party establishment and the conservative movement. McCain historically has represented neither.
McCain's selection of Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska reflected his impulse to reject Bush. As I explained in a previous article in the Huffington Post, he really wanted to name Senator Joe Lieberman as his running mate, but that option was a political impossibility that would have provoked an open revolt at the convention. Karl Rove tried to manipulate McCain into choosing Mitt Romney, endorsed by almost all members of the Bush family (except the president who had to remain above the fray). Rove organized a campaign against Lieberman and other potential choices. There could be little doubt that Rove was doing Bush's bidding. But McCain, resentful of Rove's maneuvering, outflanked him with Palin.
Bush is said to be dismissive of McCain's pick of Palin, according to the sources. Ironically, he is said to believe that now he will bear no responsibility if McCain loses. The old rivalry, supposedly buried, has come back to life.
I am glad to read that Bush is willing to see McCain lose. Bush still has the levers of power in his possession. Whether it's Bush or mcCain we seem to be headed for nuclear confrontation between them and either the Russians or the Iranians, along with a collapse of the dollar based financial house of cards. Good riddance to bad rubbish. I'm having a drink to them leaving us no worse than we are now, because I have been praying the same thing for so long and it hasn't worked.
I find it sad, pathetic really, that McCain is only reacting to the Democratic campaign. If Obama said his new campaign slogan is "We Love Pinwheels" we would hear McCain say "We Love Pinwheels More". How inspiring are the nicknames Maverick and Barracuda?
Our nation needs brilliance, creativity, diplomacy and vision. We deserve the best and brightest. McCain and Palin are simply not the kind of people we need now at this time in history.
Bush. McCain seems to want to stay in Iraq until the war is won.
What war, and win what? Bush has never been agreeable to a time
table, even now an agreement with Iraq is contengent on conditions.
McCain seems to agree the US needs to take whatever measures
necessary to bring democracy to the world. Bush has been doing his
best for 8 years to take over the world. And by the way, we are a Constitutional
Republic not a democracy. I just don't see any difference in the two.
Obama-Biden 08!
She's not pro choice, she wants to drill in Alaska, just like the Republicans have for decades. She insulting, sarcastic, demeaning, & cocky. Her nickname was Barracuda. She has already been caught in several lies, & is under investigation. She does'nt believe in science & belongs to a far left fringe of christianity.
She's as enthusiastic as a puppy & naive as a Alaskan husky. Surely this must be a joke, Americans can not be that stupid & it makes Hillary supporters madder. Here's my favorite Palin quote "What does a vice president do all day?". Look for phones in the whiehouse Palin, whaddaya think they do?
Let us only hope she fades away as fast as she came. It is as if McCain reached into his pocket, and set off an incredibly brilliant bottle rocket. Everybody loves fireworks, they are beautiful and transcendent for a moment or six, then they fade as fast as they came. Maybe Palin will have 15 days of fame. An all American Affair. ((( hmmm “An All American Affair” would be a nice title for a book about her!!!))
gary
How about wild thoughts like these?
Thoughts of a "maverick" !!!
This is the one thing i trust her.
What about your legacy shrub? Don't be so quick to bite your nose off to spite your face! You need McBush III to save your stinkin' legacy.
And You know that - why they should tell?
The thing is : in general the picture is clear , sort of 47-45.
So , the battle now is for 'undecided" who mostly do not read any news, do not listen and actually do not care.
So, obama is trying to explain, MvBush - to fool.
What is the shortest way?
gentler candidate. At least in his speech tonight.
Row Row Row your boat before it sinks !!! LOL !!!