Some thoughts as I watch McCain's speech:
McCain on the upcoming general election campaign: "will we heed appeals for change that ignore the lessons of history and lack confidence in the intelligence and ideals of free people? I will fight every moment of every day in this campaign to make sure Americans are not deceived by an elegant but empty call for change that (spontaneous and sustained applause + smirking wife) promises no more than a holiday from history and return the false promises and failed policies of a tired philosophy that trusts in government more than the people (applause)."
This is quite the charge he's making here. He's decided to try and paint Obama as an empty suit offering false hopes, false promises, and worse, failed policies of the past. I could see that last bit working against Clinton, but Obama? In this one part, McCain's rhetoric is nearly identical to Obama - ending the failed policies of the past. But whereas Obama's rhetoric takes a positive tone, McCain's is deeply negative.
Throughout our modern electoral history, hope wins over hopelessness every time. I realize why McCain thinks he needs to do this, but I just don't see it working.
McCain on Obama's foreign policy: Obama wants to sit down with foreign terror-supporting leaders "without purpose or preconditions," describing those leaders and their followers as "moral monsters" hellbent on using WMD against the United States.
Me: It's sad that Bush has so badly discredited the very idea of the threat of WMD that I cringe when I hear McCain say this. The threat is real No doubt. But that same threat has been so badly over-hyped that it is hard to take seriously. McCain, however, apparently has no interest in changing our rhetorical tactics.
Next up was reminder that we are in a struggle for the "soul of Islam."
Me: Are "we" really in this struggle? If there is such a struggle, isn't it Muslims who are engaged, and not the people of the United States? Words matter, Senator. We should do whatever we can to minimize the false perception that this is a religious war. This language isn't just unhelpful, its dangerous.
Then a call for a flatter and fairer tax system.
Huge applause there. Because, yes, if there's one thing a progressive tax code is not it is "fair." If only those poor people would be forced to pay their fair share! Or something.
Next, health care. Apparently he thinks our system is the envy of the world, and that Democratic reforms would bankrupt us.
I've sat here for 2 minutes trying to come up with a joke here, but I'm at a loss. I've got nothing that can make this stupidity funny. nothing.
In conclusion, he knows both the "good and the evil" in the world, he knows how to stand up to the bad guys, he's much older and has much more experience, and he knows who he is.
McCain is old, I'll give him that. The problem, however is that he sounds old. Reagan was old, but he spoke in ways that made you forget it. McCain's can't do that.
So long as Obama keeps the narrative on future vs. past, McCain will have a very, very hard time.
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