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Thursday, 04 September 2008
What did you think of John McCain's speech?
Well, I'm exhausted. Exhausted from holding my breath through the speech that started -- and finished -- with such promise. In the middle, it let me down several times, such as with that silly litany about "I will do this; Obama will do that." (Yeah, a certain amount of that is called for -- a candidate is obliged to tell us why we should vote for him and not the other guy -- but that bit was contrived.)
This was ... a great speech, delivered by someone who is not a great speaker... with bits and pieces that dragged it back down to mediocrity (and sometimes worse). If he'd cut out about a quarter of it, maybe less (and cut the right parts), it would have been magnificent. In the morning, when I have the full text in front of me, it might be an interesting exercise to see what a little editing can do...
The great parts (or the ones that leap to mind; I'm sure I'm forgetting some; I look forward to reviewing it in the morning):
- He called repeatedly on Americans to come together, to reject the foolishness of partisan estrangement. In those parts he was in touch with his essential Joe-ness, his UnPartisanship.
- He dealt with a heckler by saying the American people want us to come together.
- He spoke unflinchingly of the failings of his own party.
- When he decried the failed policies of the past and taking on the culture of Washington in which he has so often been a misfit, it was clear he was talking about the failures of Republicans AND Democrats.
- He told his story of heroism not in terms of his own achievement, but of how it taught him that radical individualism, his worship of himSELF as opposed to something larger, was a dead end.
Where the speech disappointed was where he extolled the values of that same selfishness, and did it in ways that were downright schizophrenic, from the prattling about tax cuts to that bizarre passage in which he promised private school "choice" in one breath, and promised to fix public schools by encouraging and rewarding good teachers and getting rid of bad ones (two news flashes: America will never pay for both, and education is NOT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S BUSINESS!).
Those bits made the speech sound like it was written in places by a committee, one engaged in a tug of war between vision and cant.
He inspired when he spoke of foreign affair, and he sometimes sounded dangerously naive when speaking of domestic. That sort of makes him and Obama a complementary pair. Yes, that's an oversimplification (if Obama really knew what to do domestically, he'd push for single-payer).
So I was often deeply inspired, and at other times saying, DOH! Why'd he say that?
So I'm exhausted. I'm so glad these conventions are over.
What did y'all think?
Posted by Brad Warthen at 10:29 PM in 2008 Presidential, Elections, John McCain, Marketplace of ideas, Republicans, Speechifying, The Nation, UnParty
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An American hero for sure, but he's been out of touch for a long time. Why am I supposed to belive he suddenly wants change?
Posted by: Jeff | Sep 4, 2008 10:45:04 PM
I yelled at the TV once or twice. I don't think they heard me.
I agree it was one of his better speeches. I'm looking forward to the debates where neither candidate has prepared remarks. Both candidates talk about reaching across the aisle. For me, the Democratic mindset is more inclusive and less vindictive, and I trust them more to be able to play well with others. They also have a better track record when it comes to developing and implementing big ideas, which is what we need this time.
Posted by: Norm Ivey | Sep 4, 2008 11:08:14 PM
after having his followers be ardently partisan for several night, mccain is going to be non-partisan? he certainly should run against 8 years ruinous republicanism, however, and it will be interesting to look at his voting record for that time. adultery twenty odd years ago is in the past and irrelevant, but being a pow forty years ago is crucial. even jfk ran on more than being a war hero forty years before the election. i am still waiting for complaints that the MSM is not paying enough attention to the Enquirer.
Posted by: george32 | Sep 5, 2008 12:14:50 AM
Norm, is it big ideas like Motor Voter, which I still consider to be the principal accomplishment of Bill Clinton's eight years in the White House?
Or giving the Chinese missile technology?
We don't need big ideas. We need specific fixes: cars that get wonderful gas mileage, energy technology that frees us of our terrorist masters.
Taxes and more taxes won't buy that technology. Rather, taxes slow its development down.
The government does lousy business. We need to give business a chance to benefit us all.
Posted by: p.m. | Sep 5, 2008 12:19:07 AM
pm-you want the enron folks to lead the way? how about world com? bear sterns maybe? ford, gm, chryster? the mortgage industry with their collective judgement? one of the principal accomplishments of the clinton years was leaving the us with a 250 billion a year budget surplus and not having to sell debt to the chinese to keep the country afloat. i am sorry that the idea of living within your means is so challenging, many of us do not undertake nonsensical new expenditures while reducing our ability to pay for them. are you passing debts to your children and grandchildren so you can indulge yourself now at their expense later? if so you gotta love reagan and bush.
Posted by: george32 | Sep 5, 2008 3:24:27 AM
Did anyone here think Mr. Warthen was going to say anything other than "it was a great speech"?
Mr. Warthen's wife should sue for emotional adultery. He's had a man-crush on John McSame and the Republicans forever.
Mr. Warthen heads an editorial board that under his tutelage, and historically, has not supported a Democratic candidate for President since Harry Truman in 1948. Don Fowler was right. Why should Senator Clinton talk to a closed mind who masquerades as an independent?
Mr. Warthen personally pulls the "R" lever for President religiously.
Last week, we saw Mr. Warthen with snarky and analysis free ridiculing of Congressman Clyburn. He didn't like Obama's speech. He yelled at the tv. Mr. Warthen was perfect. He had a criticism of Democrats every day last week.
This week, it's been a McSame lovefest with Mr. Warthen. McSame, the reformer who sucked up to the worst president in history by voting with him more than 90 percent of the time. Mr. Warthen's dirty little secret is he applauds McSame's voting in lockstep with the Republicans and President Junior. Mr. Warthen likes what George Bush has done as President.
But, I digress. Mr. Warthen will never criticize the man who has flip flopped on everything. Bush tax cuts for the rich, torture, the Confederate flag, the ayatollahs of the Republican party, drilling senselessly everywhere Exxon wants, immigration, the list goes on ad nauseam. The debate that needs to be concluded is one McSame has with himself.
The old man who has to be kept under wraps for fear of his senior moments.
As I said last week pointing out the Warthen-Repub talking point of the day, we'll see if Mr. Warthen has any criticism for the Repubs. Predictably, no.
Posted by: Guero | Sep 5, 2008 4:03:18 AM
Where was John McCain's flag pin?
How does the conservative base feel now that John McCain says that "No party owns me"?
Ready for the Suter situation where Johnny Mac kicks the conservatives to the curb after he's in office? Does anyone really think that Palin would be any other than a ribbon cutter after she's sworn in under McCain? She's already being sent back to Alaska for an undisclosed period of time. (CODE: read the polls, if no big bounce, she's off the ticket & Joey Liberman in is).
Wake up people. You're being played.
He was pro-choice before he wanted the GOP nomination and then claimed to be pro-life. Convenient timing but do his actions meet his words?
Speech: Embarrassing flat & forced for being the biggest speech of his life. Maybe the word "tired" may be appropriate for an 72 yer old man on Ambien prescription. He preached to the base and not to the undecided voters.
Posted by: veritas | Sep 5, 2008 5:10:51 AM
Veritas,
Putting that woman in a ribbon cutter role would create a smoldering volcano. She's not cut out for that! To her credit!
However, McCain thinks he can pigeonhole her into that role b/c that's his preconceived role for us: accompanist.
Posted by: -- | Sep 5, 2008 6:01:58 AM
McCains's speech was fine-- but it's so odd that the GOP is running against the, um,the GOP....
I was undecided going into this convention. I agree more with Obama on the issues, but admire McCain and like his experience.
However, the selection of Palin was so bizarre and reckless, there's no way I could vote for McCain now.
Posted by: mark g | Sep 5, 2008 7:18:29 AM
I didn't see the McCain speech. I was suffering through the football version of waterboarding watching the gamecocks pull their usual disappearing act.
But from what I've read of this speech McCain is trying to have it both ways. He wants to appeal to the red meat base through his surrogates and VP while still maintaining this charade of being a reach-across-the-aisle maverick. The convention taken as a whole was one of the most bizarre spectacles I've ever seen. All this talk of inclusiveness (while the delagates were uniformly white), family values, (with an adulterous president and VP pick that has some serious family issues) and change, (from a party that has controlled the reigns of government for 8 years) took quite a dose of hutzpah.
So who to believe? The McCain of Hagee, Gramm, Palin and a 90+ percent voting record in agreement with Bush, or, the self-professed maverick who promises to reach across the aisle and change the partisan tone in Washington? George W. Bush promised to be a uniter not a divider. As it turned out he was the most divisive president in history. Given McCain's year-long pandering to the right it is just too much to buy into this bi-partisan pitch.
Posted by: bud | Sep 5, 2008 7:53:32 AM
He told his story of heroism not in terms of his own achievement, but of how it taught him that radical individualism, his worship of himSELF as opposed to something larger, was a dead end.
-Brad
Now this is really bizarre that you would praise this passage. Come on Brad that is just pure unadulterated crap. Speaking of adultery, this so-called rejection of "radical individualism" first manifested itself in the most shameful, selfish and disgusting period in John McCain's life. To go on and on and on and on and on about his life in the Hanoi Hilton then to completely ignore the 10 years that followed that episode AND then to claim it taught him to reject "radical individualism" is nothing but a complete lie. How shameful. And Brad finds this flat-out lie one of the best parts of the speech. That's pretty shameful too.
Posted by: bud | Sep 5, 2008 8:01:54 AM
I give it a resounding "meh". It is exactly what I expected, no more or less. He failed to convince me that the Republican party is best able to fix the mess that the Republican party has dragged us into over the past eight years.
Posted by: Wally Altman | Sep 5, 2008 8:02:03 AM
The Code Pink disruption was my favorite part. Free speech in action, the heart of our democracy, such as it is.
And I must say, the continued political exploitation of 9/11 sickens me, as does as that U-S-A chanting and Country First signs and all that phony bullcrud. My crooked little toe loves this country of ours more than any one of those cowboy hat wearing hyenas.
I say this, too, not as a Dem partisan, but as a solid independent with the voting record on both national and local levels to back it up.
Posted by: James D McCallister | Sep 5, 2008 8:15:09 AM
the only role of the vp is to preside over the senate and suceed to the presidency. she can smolder all she wants to but whether mccain were to give her a role like potatoe quayle or assistant chief warmonger like lifetime nra member-duck,oops, sorry-cheney she has no choice in the matter. perhaps she could spend her time raising money to pay back the treasury all the earmarks she used to brag about obtaining as mayor since she is against them now or would that be a recognition of flip-flopping. a neat thing is a republican spending all her off time with a very well insured (probably will cover abstinent daughter too because of her age and place of residence) union member-i guess the anti-union ideology is not something the puppeteers will put in the campaign speeches they have her deliver.
Posted by: george32 | Sep 5, 2008 8:17:15 AM
"...extolled the vitues of seflishness..."
Have you ever read Ayn Rand's book, "The Virtue of Selfishness"? It is required reading to discuss this topic.
McCain did a good job of juxtaposing his heartfelt need to serve his country against the reckless ambition of a puppet candidate, Obama.
Posted by: Lee Muller | Sep 5, 2008 8:38:50 AM
to: p.m.
I mean big ideas like Rural Electrification, Manhattan Project, Apollo Program, Peace Corps, Voting Rights Act, Civil Rights Act, 19th Amendment, CCC, TVA, Social Security, and others. It's a good thing that Nixon and Eisenhower had Democratic congresses to approve the EPA and Interstate Highway System.
The other side has a few big ideas--deficit spending, trickle-down economics and lying to the American people come to mind. Hopefully, we're going to see a free market style correction of their ways this cycle.
Posted by: Norm Ivey | Sep 5, 2008 8:51:40 AM
McCain's world and the GOP agenda is truly a sad, out-moded and dangerous one for today's world.
For McCain, it's about controlling, fighting, attacking and dominating. In fact, in his very uninspiring speech last night, he used the words "fight" or "attack" nearly 30 times. He never used the word "cooperation" or "negotiation" or "conciliation" once.
His speech reflected the same old GOP operating system of fear and militarism.
If the human race is to endure, we need a new model, one in which strength is not measured by weapons and brute force, but rather intelligent statesmanship and leadership, something McCain and the GOP have repeatedly shown that they lack.
Posted by: Susan Quinn | Sep 5, 2008 8:55:41 AM
McCain - Palin remind me of the start of the Nazi Party. First take away individual rights because they might be used against the motherland. Then continue to chant USA at everything. Since when did reading someone their rights become un-American? Lindsay questioning Obama's patriotism because he doesn't believe the Republican war monger way was sickening. And how does withdrawing when a country wants you gone defeatism? How is leaving a sovereign nation after you declared victory five years ago defeatism? Freedom of speech for all or only what the Republicans believe in. This party has moved from extreme to downright dangerous. McCain is as hypocritical as Bill Clinton and John Edwards. But he left that ten years out of his biography. My biggest concern of all is the continued blatant lies about taxes, schools, energy etc. The facts McCain used were wrong just as his ads are wrong. Not a surprise. This is now Dick Cheney's party. You can have it.
Posted by: Tim C | Sep 5, 2008 9:01:02 AM
Democrats are the ones trying to take away our rights:
* Shutting down talk radio and Internet criticism of socialism.
* Disarming honest citizens
* Higher taxes
* Dictating what we can drive, smoke, eat, when and where
Democrats so overuse and misue the word "fascist" that people forget that it is real, does exist as a mentality, and is present among many socialists, progressives, and "liberals" today.
Obama has an army of people attacking journalists, suing to stop publication of articles on him, throwing blood and leaving ead animals on the lawns of other Democrats who dare to question his qualifications.
The Democrats are intolerant of dissent.
Their core act like a bunch of Brownshirts.
And, as a matter of fact, a lot of Obama's platform and tactics are identical to Mussolini's. Liberals loved Mussolini back then. The academic Left ran Mussolini's campaign, just like they run Obama's campaign.
Posted by: Lee Muller | Sep 5, 2008 9:11:31 AM
No wonder McCain is trying to distance himself from Bush. Todays economic headline from the USA Today:
84,000 jobs cut in Aug.; jobless rate hits 5-year high of 6.1%
WASHINGTON — The unemployment rate zoomed to a five-year high of 6.1% in August as employers slashed 84,000 jobs, dramatic proof of the mounting damage a deeply troubled economy is inflicting on workers and businesses alike.
This isn't about whether John McCain suffered in the Hanoi Hilton or whether Barack Obama's preacher made some bizarre statement in church years ago. What this election is about is whether the country is headed in the right direction or not, and who is the better man to change it. Clearly, McCain can ignore his ties with Bush all he wants but facts are facts. He has supported the failed Bush economic policies for 8 years. He has stated publicly he plans to support more of the same and his own economic guru, a man largely responsible for the mess, has called Americans whiners, just because they lost their jobs. McCain is insincere with his calls for bi-partisanship. His actions betray his words. Barack Obama will lead us out of the economic darkness of the GOP into a new and brighter future. It's time for change and only Barack Obama can deliver real change. John McSame is a fraud. He'll just be more Bush. Do we really want that?
Posted by: bud | Sep 5, 2008 9:22:15 AM
Spaceman, you never disappoint.
The Protocols of the Elders of Obama have an answer for you to all of the world's problems. I wish I had your serenity that comes only with delusional and simplistic thinking.
Of course, I do have to revise my "skinny" on you to include, "Hormones of a 15 year old high school sophomore with zits a/k/a "is enthralled by Ayn Rand."
Just for amusement, your use of the word puppet implies there is a puppet master.
Is that the ghost of Karl Marx? (Maybe Groucho....?)
Posted by: Guero | Sep 5, 2008 9:23:07 AM
Poor Guero can't discuss Obama tax proposals, so it's the Obama Smear.
Pupper masters...plural = Daley machine
Main puppeteer = David Axelrod
bud, you left off some of the other economic news, like economy grew at 3.3% last quarter.
Obama can't create jobs expect by destroying jobs through taxation and higher deficit spending, which he proposes.
Posted by: Lee Muller | Sep 5, 2008 10:45:35 AM
> bud, you left off some of the other
>economic news, like economy grew at 3.3%
>last quarter.
Lee,
The economy "grew" because of an election year welfare giveaway in the form of economic stimulus checks that all the top politicians supported: "Here, let me give you some of your money back and we'll just jack up the deficit to cover it."
I don't think there are many economists predicting the 3.3% is a trend just a blip.
The impact of rising fuel prices on everything has yet to trickle down through the economy.
Posted by: Doug Ross | Sep 5, 2008 11:05:11 AM
On the subject of taxes and the economy: wars, highways, bridges, FDA, EPA, FAA, education etc. aren't free. Some group or another has to pay for it. Assuming government programs and wars are necessary, if the lower income citizens can't purchase anything, we won't need production of the goods and the companies won't have sales. Thus taxing the poor is not in the economic interest of the rich. Somebody has to buy what you are selling. The $400 million a day (12 billion a month) war has destroyed our economy. Deregulation of the banking industry has compounded the problems. McCain has voted 90% of the time for the policies that have us where we are. We have to change our thinking and actions. McCain says Obama will raise taxes on the "middle class." Obama's proposal starts the increase at $250K per year. Maybe the first discussion should be just what is "Middle Class?" The second should be "what is McCain going to do differently than he has for the last 26 years?" When you can't win on the issues, ignore them. When you can't run on your record, make up a new one and yell it loudly. When that fails, pull out 9/11 and being a POW. McCain may be a good person and patriot. I disagree on the issues and the fact that he can lead change.
Posted by: Tim C | Sep 5, 2008 11:07:33 AM
You know, Guero, what scares me is the Democrats' hypocritical urge to cancel freedom of speech.
It's like the non-conformity when I was at college. If you didn't conform to the denim look, you didn't know how not to conform.
For Democrats, it's say whatever you want, as long as you don't criticize a member of any minority, nor our presidential candidate, and don't you dare issue ad hominem attacks about Democrats like Democrats do about Republicans.
Norm, trickle-down economics created the Clinton surplus. Clinton's mismanagement of foreign policy gave us 9-11. Reagan's big ideas and specific tactics broke up the Soviet Union and rid Berlin of the wall.
I'm surprised you would reach back to take a punch at Eisenhower. The facts are, presidents and legislators from each party have helped us ideologically and practically over the years. The GOP has Lincoln, Eisenhower and Reagan; the Democrats have Roosevelt, Kennedy and Johnson. Yes, if I look hard enough, I can find Democrats I like and Republicans I don't.
Of course, the Democrat I like would be a blue dog and the Republican might be Larry Craig, so there you have it.
Posted by: p.m. | Sep 5, 2008 11:28:32 AM
