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Feb
28
I’ve been saying it for days to my loved ones, then I heard it on NPR yesterday, as a fear from GOP strategist, Ed Rogers, and now, here’s more, this time, from Dick Morris:
What is McCain’s problem?
Why did he go from the most exciting candidate in the race a year ago to the verge of oblivion today?
Fundamentally, he failed to heed the Shakespeare’s admonition “to thine own self be true.” The John McCain of the 2000 campaign is nowhere in evidence in 2007.
Instead of challenging the party establishment, he pathetically waits at its door, hoping to be invited. Where he used to challenge the religious right, he now panders to them. Once he led the battle against big tobacco, for corporate governance reform, in favor of campaign financing changes, and in support of action against global warming.
Now he has been identified with two issues, neither popular in the Republican Party: The Iraqi troop surge and amnesty for illegal aliens.
Rather than stake out an independent voice apart from the Bush administration, he has become the last survivor at Custer’s Last Stand in its support of its policies.
And, less objectively:
He looks small, shrunken, weak, cowed, and timid. He shows all of his 70 years of age including the roughly lived period at the hands of the tender mercies of the North Vietnamese. It is hard to imagine him as a strong leader as he meekly answers questions from the likes of Tim Russert and George Stephanopoulos.
As for Guiliani, Morris thinks he may have peaked too soon also, but won’t commit.
What I don’t get is, if I could see this, months ago, why didn’t others, as in, the people giving him money and/or encouragement? Ditto Guiliaini. I have news for the GOP: he will not be its ’08 nominee. I don’t know who will be, but it’s not going to be McCain or Guiliani.
And if it is one of those two, say hello to a Democratic president, way more easily than people may say just yet.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 2:39 am February 28th, 2007 in Politics
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8 Responses to “The Death of Senator John McCain – his candidacy, silly”
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Hi Jill –
It was clear McCain was in trouble when he lost the straw vote in Hamilton County earlier this month. He skipped the Senate Iraq debate. He’s tried to get in bed with creationists (not literally but politically). I think a staff shake-up is coming and that he’ll go back to being himself. That is the only way he can pull out of the dive he is in.
Rather than stake out an independent voice apart from the Bush administration, he has become the last survivor at Custer’s Last Stand in its support of its policies.
I think Morris has got it wrong. McCain’s problems aren’t based on recent history. McCain’s past maverick status made him popular with the press, but it thoroughly ticked off much of the Republican base. For example, his campaign finance “reform” and his “Gang of Fourteen” ploy were extremely unpopular with the GOP rank-and-file. They’re not forgetting now that McCain wants the presidential nomination.
BTW, a very minor point: “Giuliani” is spelled GEE-EYE-YOU, not GEE-YOU-EYE. Think of the pronunciation difference between “Giuliani” and “Guido.”
Yes, and it’s a trip how McCain flip-flopped on the whole abortion issue.
First he’s pro-choice, now he claims to be pro-life.
Is this real or more pandering?
I still have a bad taste in my mouth and don’t trust McCain back from his involvement in not ratifying MLK day in Arizona years ago.
Though he was a POW who suffered a lot, I don’t know about McCain…
I could be wrong, but, he seems to have gotten caught up in that age old quagmire: doing everything he can to win and forgetting his real voice. I think you hit it on the head in your blog post.
A week later Bill and I’m sure you’re right – or else he’s throwing in the towel.
Anon – thanks for spelling lesson – most likely typo – I was just telling someone today about how I flunked a typing test for my first job after college FOUR times before finally hitting the minimum acceptable score for employment!
When I think of beloved Mavericks I think of Lowell Weicker – being even he wasn’t so beloved. They have a tough time figuring out what to do with themselves, and I can actually appreciate that as someone with a strong interest in being interdisciplinary. Most people don’t seem born to live in more than one world at a time.
Paula – you are really mulling everyone over like me too – well, I’m not seriously looking at anyone on the right, really, but even so – i find myself making the same conclusions – especially around the pandering. What is WITH that?
It’s sad to see though, isn’t it, Carole, because even if I wouldn’t vote for him, I would still respect him if he at least was consistent.