For all Hillary’s talk about invisible voters, it really seems like there is one person who is actually invisible this election cycle- John McCain. I have had the news on since 7 am, and I honestly do not think I have heard his name so much as mentioned. it is as if the race in the fall is a fight between Obama and Clinton. Still.
And when he is mentioned in the press, it is not flattering. Either it is his flip-flopping on wiretapping, concerns about his inability to be competitive with Obama in fund-raising, or stories like this about his disastrous speech:
As Democrats buzzed this week about their new de facto nominee, his historic candidacy and the unlikely political demise of Hillary Rodham Clinton, Republican circles were humming with another topic.
The topic: Is there a way John McCain can win the presidency without giving another speech?
That’s overstated, of course, but the concern about McCain’s wooden and stumbling address before a few hundred supporters here Tuesday night – the same evening as Barack Obama’s soaring acceptance address before thousands of screaming fans – has sent something of a shudder through the party and left GOP operatives shaking their heads in dismay.
***“They were appalled at the environment the candidate was standing in and his performance,” said this strategist. “It’s a serious problem — the contrast is so clear that it’s demoralizing. And it deflated our balloon last night. When the guys on Fox are trash-talking, you know it’s bad.”
I was one of many who felt that the longer the Democratic primary continued, the more hurtful it would be to the Democrats. We shall see how much permanent damage was done and whether or not Hillary can help Obama woo her supporters, but one thing is true- they are still sucking all of the oxygen left in the room, and there is not much left for McCain.
And just because I find it amazing that someone is a worse public speaker than George Bush, this deserves another showing:
Too funny.
SnarkyShark
The best Democratic candidate of my lifetime against a doddering old fool while the country is getting their Republican hate on in the time of U-Tube.
I like our chances.
Smudgemo
On my way to work yesterday, I saw a McCain bumper sticker here in Berkeley. I still haven’t decided if it was supposed to be a joke.
Bob In Pacifica
As a political strategy for McCain, invisible is good.
Dreggas
Ya know, the longer there’s favorable coverage of Obama while what little coverage McCain gets is negative the better it will be.
McShitstain can’t panhandle for change when it comes to fundraising so he is going to wind up depending on free media coverage, but that’s not going to happen so long as Obama is in the spotlight the way he has been this past week. He’ll be like the doddering old fool in the corner screaming at the shadows from his rocking chair while everyone else has moved on.
NR
Hey, John – some very surprising poll numbers out of West Virginia today. McCain is only up by eight points.
What’s your take? Does Obama have a chance in WV?
mr serene
That hard shiny coating covering the inner solid chocolate Maverick candy bar the press has salivated over these last months got wet and is now melting in the sun. And the puddle collecting under it isn’t tasty sweet anymore. Oh, the cruel reality of it all! Man, that’s got to hurt those of you in the adoring press.
Just suck it up boys and girls and look for another a barbecue.
Dennis - SGMM
In a country that elected (With help from the Supremes) and then re-elected George W. Bush I’m still concerned – especially when we’re trying to elect the free world’s first black head of state. McCain is indeed a poor candidate and the Republicans are in bad odor but, you can fool some of the people all of the time and if there are enough of them McCain has a shot.
Dennis - SGMM
Call it the “Cheney bounce.”
The Pale Scot
It’s obvious, the green background is the color of money, sort of a visual dog whistle for lobbyists, and which also nicely complements the golf gear offered for sale on his site.
Elvis Elvisberg
Well, but he has this reputation of a mavericky straight talker. Because he fucks that image up every time he opens his mouth, we need the media to report on what he says and proposes. He snuck through the GOP primary because everyone forgot he was there. So it’s bad if the media goes all-out “Michelle Obama: scary because she’s black, or scary anyway,” and “OMG WHITHER HILLARY?!?”
Zifnab
It’s not bad, given that every time he enters the media spotlight it involves scandal or embarrassment. But you’re not going to win an election by hiding from the American public. “None of the Above” isn’t going to be as popular for the general public as it was in the Republican Primary.
I predict the GOP base will largely sleep through November. The evangelicals never really got sold on the McCain pander. He’s got a lot of baggage to unload with the no-tax GOP fiscal wing. And his 100-years Iraq apologetics aren’t going to win him much support among the pro-military crowd. McCain just isn’t giving people a reason to vote FOR him, even if he gives a whole ream of reasons to vote AGAINST the scary Marxist ultra-liberal America-hating tax-and-spend secret Muslim black guy.
2004 showed how you can’t win an election simply by running against a candidate your party hates. You’ve got to offer something more than Not-Him.
Michael D.
I’ve avoided watching it till now. You’re right. Funny! To be honest, I don’t plan on listening to McCain too much during this presidential season. I listened to the Republicans last time, and look where that got me.
PK
I am an Obama supporter, but can’t ever get too enthusiastic over a politician.
I think its sickening the way Obama is genuflecting to the Israel lobby. His speech yesterday about undivided jerusalem was pure pandering. According to a commentator on NPR today Obama was more pro Palestinian in 2004 than today.
Who knows by the time he gets to the white house he might just decide to bomb Iran on Israel’s behalf like just like the current halfwit.
TenguPhule
Tune in to Kudlow and Company if you want McCain love songs.
Apparently the fucking retard is peddling a ‘Obama speaks, markets go down’ theory and thinks questions like ‘Are liberals dopes?’ are related to talking about the fucking stock market.
And he luvs him some hot wet Fuckstain, he does. “The Surge is Working! Proof that MCcain is good for the markets!”
Tom Hilton
Fixed.
Seriously: this is the first time since LBJ that the Democratic candidate will have more money than the Republican. And it’s lots more. Lots and lots and lots. Half a billion is pretty feasible.
John Cole
Numbers are meaningless until the convention.
Dulcie
They were probably from out of town – Antioch, Concord, Stockton ;-)
Jon H
I tell ya, McCain is playing the role Alan Keyes played in Obama’s Senate race.
AkaDad
Now that Obama is the nominee, I’ll give my predictions.
300+ electoral votes
54%-55% popular vote
Obama should win all the States that Kerry won, and I see him winning Colorado, Ohio, Missouri, New Mexico, and Virginia.
The other States in play are Iowa, Montana, North Carolina, Alaska, Florida, Nevada, and Louisiana.
My long shots are Indiana, Texas, Georgia, and Kansas.
Jon H
” His speech yesterday about undivided jerusalem was pure pandering.”
The bit about a contiguous Palestinian state seems quite significant to me, because that’s not the way Israel’s been going.
cynique71
Since Larry Kudlow quit doing coke he does a very poor job of hiding his passion for strong, manly-mavericky men. Bush has always gotten him frothy-mouthed too.
4tehlulz
>>West Virginia
From the link:
Somewhat Unfavorable (Obama): 22%
Very Unfavorable (Obama): 35%
No way dude. I know its early, but 57% unfavorable?
Brachiator
McCain should never be underestimated. People said the same kinds of things about Reagan (a bumbler) and Bush (a doofus compared to Gore). But both men came across as basically decent compared to their competitors.
People don’t read the papers anymore (the few that are still in business) and can’t be bothered with TV news pieces that point out McCain flip flops. And sadly, a lot of folks with computers seek out only those blogs that reinforce their fears and prejudices.
For good or for ill, a lot of people will base their decisions on the first impressions that they get of the candidates. And so McCain’s rep as a fundamentally decent war hero who is a straight talker, will linger even if he is a poor public speaker. Folks will forgive a lot from someone who is not glib in front of the camera if they think that he is on their side.
Cyrus
The election isn’t over for months yet, so nobody knows for sure — but still, I called it. :)
Splitting Image
I think most of our worries about the overly-long primary season will turn out to have been misplaced.
McCain does not seem to have consolidated his party behind him even with a four month window to do so. Man, that doesn’t look good on him.
The primary had its ups and downs, but I think the only thing I would really like to take back was Clinton’s remark about McCain having passed the “Commander in Chief” threshold. From the looks of it, McCain himself is going to prove that that isn’t true.
I’d say that if McCain can pull himself together and keep it respectable, West Virginia will probably go into his column. A good performance by McCain would be cracking 200 electoral votes. I’m expecting a rout, though. I’m guessing he’ll win about 10 states.
A few more speeches like the other day and I’ll have to lower my under/over.
The Moar You Know
DUBIOUS DISCLAIMER
Dreggas
Well considering Rush Limbaugh is questioning McCain’s manliness at this point, things are definitely not looking good.
Gus
Meh, I remember a lot of optimism for Democrats in the 2004 election, too. That didn’t work out so well. Of course that optimism was based more on how much Bush sucked than on how good Kerry was. I think this election will be a lot tighter than the optimists think.
jrg
Sounds about right. I’ve seen one McCain bumper sticker in Raleigh, but many for Obama.
I can’t wait to see the general election debates: Obama is eloquent, and is used to debating sharp young law students. McCain looks and sounds constipated.
It’s not just the fact that McCain is senile, it’s also the fact that he’s got to tread a very narrow semantic line to speak to moderates without alienating the GOP’s insane base, and therefore he cannot argue anything on principle. He’s going to come off as plastic at best.
Obama is going to eat McCain alive. I think Obama is going to be able to bait McCain into either alienating the middle, saying things that the 28%ers will hate, stammering like a dunce, or flying off the handle.
Duros Hussein 62
Awwww. Too bad, so sad.
PK
Why? Is support supposed to be mindless?
Cyrus
Meh, I can see both sides of this. If The Moar You Know was merely saying that you were being a concern troll in your 11:25 a.m. comment — strong, emotionally-charged criticism preceded by a glib, rote disclaimer — I don’t think that’s fair. I’ve read a lot of people criticizing Obama’s AIPAC remarks from the left, including myself. I agree with part of what you said.
On the other hand, there’s how you ended.
Overreacting much?
The Moar You Know
This:
followed by this:
ONE OF THESE THINGS IS NOT LIEK THE OTHER
ONE OF THESE THINGS JUST DOESN’T BELONG
OniHanzo
Who’s the new Big Dog?
Need I even ask?
These stupid bastards have NO IDEA who they’re fucking with.
passerby
The McCain Camp has proposed 10 Townhall meetings with Obama.
At least 3 reasons for this strategy:
1) McCain can’t draw a crowd like Obama can. Hell, McCain can’t draw water.
2) McCain is much better in the Townhall format. Bet Obama could handle his own but won’t take the bait on this one.
3) McCain camp needs Obama to turn down this offer so they can call him a coward who won’t debate McCain.
Boggles my mind how much parity there is between the two candidacies, but, we know the media wants a horse race and they’ll come up with something. Hope they don’t hang their hats on the “whitey” thing (so bogus).
T
OniHanzo
Can they really hang their hat if there’s no video?
Frank Jacobs
I think Brad over at Sadly, No! had the best humorous comment on the choice of a green background for McCain’s historically awful speech. With all due respect to the now-famous “Cottage Cheese on the Green Jello Salad” quip, this wins the internet.
PK
I guess not to a brainless twit.
By the way all caps does not make your point more valid moron.
Paul Weimer
I am a pessimist by inclination and nature. I always expect the worst.
Still…I would kvell to see Sen. Obama beat Sen. McCain like a drum in November. Frak this 50+1 crap, really take it to the Republicans in a way that hasn’t happened for a long, long time.
And for years I thought an African American could only get the Presidency in this country by the “Bug Jack Barron” route. (spoiler for the ending: the title character has a A.A. running mate, and in the denouement reveals that he fully intends on resigning from office on day one and handing the Presidency to his VP).
qwerty42
Sometimes I agreed with that, but this may work as one of the most powerful GOTV campaigns ever. I know it was exhausting for the candidates, and under the strains (it has been what, well over a year since they started?) they had problems. But Obama came through powerfully (and Hill did pretty well herself). And they went everywhere, including places they are (highly) unlikely to carry in the general. Including places that are typically overlooked almost altogether. If this is so, lot of down-ticket candidates will gain from it.
Mike Treder
Ugh, McCain is simply painful to watch.
What kills me the most, if you can bear viewing the whole speech, is when he flashes that rictus smile at the most inappropriate times, like just after mentioning the Holocaust. Does he have any clue how bad that looks?
Tony J
Prahzadant av Saht Afreeka Nelson Mandela doesn’t count?
Oh now, that’s just nasty.
Plus, it took me a good ten seconds of head-scratching before I realised McCain modelled his grin on Glen Quagmire.
ModerateGuy7
Problems with Bush/McCain-style politics:
1. Their lack of knowledge about the economy. (McCain has admitted he doesn’t know much about economics.) Most people wouldn’t send an economist to fight a war. Let’s not elect a soldier to help fix our economy as our President. BUSH’S ECONOMIC RECORD speaks for itself.
2. The failed Republican policy of BORROW and spend, including spending AT LEAST 500 BILLION DOLLARS in Iraq. They promise lower and lower taxes (mostly for the rich), but eventually the bills become due. This is why, after the U.S. has spent several TRILLION dollars more than it has taken in, THE U.S. DOLLAR has become so devalued, which has RAISED THE COST OF NEARLY EVERYTHING.
3. Bush/McCain warmonger priorities. WAR, WAR, WAR. Everything else comes later. Also, even if the impulse for war wasn’t misguided, McCain has demonstrated that he doesn’t even know who the “players” are in the Middle East. Lieberman had to explain this to McCain by whispering in his ear.
4. McCain’s F L I P – F L O P on TORTURE (from an interview with Chris Matthews): “I won’t go through all the details of it, but it does not allow torture, and it will not allow torture. And at the same time, I think you do understand that there are some people who are very, very bad people, and I think that to continue a program for some of them, without torture, is something that we can’t deprive the President of the United States of.”
In other words, McCain seems to believe that, sometimes, torture is okay for “very, very bad people”. F L I P – F L O P.
5. Bush and McCain have shown a complete lack of care for average Americans. On the day Hurricane Katrina came ashore, where were Bush and McCain? They were together, eating cake at a fundraising event.
(see the story and picture at http://www.newsweek.com/id/133551 )
6. McCain first pandered to the “Christian Right,” but has more recently abandoned them. Another F L I P – F L O P. For example, after cozying up to TV preacher Jerry Falwell for many years, McCain slammed him as “an agent of intolerance” in 2002. Still later, he has decided once again to cozy up to Falwell who said Americans “deserved” the 9/11 attacks.
F L I P – F L O P.
7. Obama won’t accept lobbyist or PAC donations and neither will the Democratic party. McCain has TALKED about reducing the influence of shady, sleazy lobbyists in Washington. But, he’ll still take their money. F L I P – F L O P.
8. McCain’s many, many positions on immigration are nearly legendary. Just do a web search on “McCain immigration F L I P – F L O P” and you’ll get thousands of links. Here’s one example: http://rawstory.com/news/2008/McCain_suffers_right_wing_backlash_over_0523.html
F L I P – F L O P.
McCain Equals: More BUSH policies. More F L I P – F L O P S. More Wars.
Lee
I was going to write something about The Moar You Know’s comment.
But what PK wrote is much more succinct
Jay B.
McCain should never be underestimated. People said the same kinds of things about Reagan (a bumbler) and Bush (a doofus compared to Gore). But both men came across as basically decent compared to their competitors.
Reagan was a more-than-capable speaker and he looked radiant compared to Carter. Bush lost the popular vote in 2000 and is now reviled on a John Wayne Gacy level. McCain is Carter without the positive optics and sense of hopefulness and Bush without the eloquence. Previous results do not necessarily predict future dividends. And, finally, the GOP isn’t exactly stacked with political geniuses either — the party is in the toilet, their resources have dried up and they are looking at a historic rout. Maybe you haven’t noticed, but, right now, in America, 80% think we’re on the wrong track (and 75% hate the GOP incumbent) — it’s nearly impossible for the crotchety 309-year old McCain to make the case that he’s the breath of fresh air that will turn things around, you know. Really.
People don’t read the papers anymore (the few that are still in business) and can’t be bothered with TV news pieces that point out McCain flip flops.
Wow, with such a fact-filled assertion like that how could you be wrong? Hint: Circulation is down but about 50% of “adult” Americans still read daily papers. I know that might sound slight, but we’re talking about 130 million or so. It’s not insignificant.
And sadly, a lot of folks with computers seek out only those blogs that reinforce their fears and prejudices.
You’re right. I should spend more time at the Corner for KLo’s clammy-sweat take on sex.
Tsulagi
I dunno if I can go that far. On the retarded + pitiful delivery scale, even after that bomb by McCain, I’d still give the edge to The Decider/Uniter. I’d rather stuff my ears with ice picks than listen to Bush.
But yeah, that speech by McCain was an eye opener, even if everyone else’s eyes in his audience were closing out of boredom. That was amazing in a way. I would give him the Lamest Delivery Ever award for that performance. After watching that speech, McCain seems to be becoming one big on-going senior moment
PK
Cyrus
Yes that does sound like an overreaction and was not supposed to be in a serious vein. But I think my expectations of Obama are a bit higher especially because of his pointed refusal to pander on the gas tax.
D-Chance.
And, yet, not one peep from the resident anti-Semite Wilfred. That Magical Unity dust has its effects…
Kilkee
About that undivided Jerusalem “pander”: Obama’s statements are no different from most US politicians, and indeed DO NOT mean an undivided Jerusalem ruled solely by Israel. To the contrary, there has been much talk (including some accepted by moderate Palestinians) of Jerusalem as an open, international city, which would be thus undivided, and simultaneously capital of both Israel and a Palestinian state. Not really a difficult concept, God and the parties willing.
Brachiator
Odd then that the polls are not indicating a landslide for Obama. So I hope that the people in charge of Obama’s campaign are not as smugly complacent as some Obama supporters. It’s a long time before the general election, but there is work to do.
And by comparison, in March 2004, an MSNBC poll noted the following (Public’s faith in economy plummets):
Despite this, Bush still won the general election. Despite continually bad current economic news, some polls still show that a significant number of voters believe that the Republicans are better on the economy than the Democrats.
What Bo Diddeley said about trust applies triple time in dealing with the GOP: “Don’t trust nobody but your mama. And even then, look at her real good.”
Dude, I worked for a couple of the largest newspapers in the country for over 20 years — in marketing and circulation. I simplified things for the sake of a general interest blog, but you don’t have a clue. Here’s a little Editor and Publisher from 2005:
And “readership” isn’t just available adults, it’s about market and the share of the most valuable readers (those who are going to make purchases based on the ads in the paper).
In other areas of the country, readership is higher, and online hits are making up a more significant share, but here is the problem in relation to politics and other areas. Papers are cutting veteran reporters, getting more news from wire services, and dumbing down the news that remains. And the example of my current office shows a worrisome new trend. Publishers were helped by the fact that a newspaper would be passed around to multiple hands during the weekday. But in my 30 person dot com office, a single copy of the LA Times is brought in each morning. The Sports section is kept, but the rest of the paper is thrown away. Even in an election year in which a number of people are emotionally and politically invested in the outcome.
Charity
I just don’t understand whose brilliant idea it was to put McCain up against Obama in yet more speeches. It’ll be Kennedy-Nixon on TV all over again.
Jackie
The part that I can’t get out of my head is McCain’s laughter–or chortling or whatever it was–after he awkwardly repeats the change we can’t believe in thing. He sounds just like Pat, the gender-ambiguous character created by Julia Sweeney on SNL. I don’t know how to write it. “Hnnn Hnnn Hnnn”? Uhghn Uhghn Uhghn? Well, it’s eerily like Pat.
Brachiator
On the other hand, the people who listened to the debate on the radio thought that Nixon had won.
McCain’s people think that there is some advantage to McCain appearing in town-hall style appearances rather than more structured debates.
One off-the-top-of-my-head speculation: if McCain gets flustered or angry at a reporter’s question, McCain looks bad. If McCain gets angry or flustered at an Obama question of exchange, it will be easy for Fox news and the morons among us to project this as the Angry Black Muslim Extremist unfairly taking advantage of a war hero.
Rome Again
Ooooh, subliminal green backgrounding, I like it, I hope he sticks to this tactic for a LONG, LONG time. ;)
grumpy realist
Considering that oil will probably be hitting at $150/bbl by later on this year, McCain is going to have to do something more than just yelling “BOMB Iran!” (which would send oil to $300+).
The Republicans can’t think of anything but bleat “cut taxes! Drill in Alaska!”. What I hope Obama can do is start speaking seriously to the average clueless American about how We. Cannot. Afford. To. Continue. Like. This. We’re either going to slide down into Brazil with nukes and a whole lot of decaying military equipment, or we’re going to get off this military pornware kick and start putting $$ towards stuff that provides a positive return, like research and a good infrastructure.
Heck, it’s probably already too late. We’ve been squandering all this money in Iraq while China has been churning out more and more scientists and engineers in one year than we do in five. You can’t tell me that’s not going to have an effect.
Johnny Pez
McCain’s speech was actually a very clever bit of expectations-lowering. From now on, whenever McCain gives a speech that doesn’t cause little children to flee in terror, his friends in the media can report that he did “better than expected”.