Would McCainamania Really Be A Good Thing Right Now?

I'm unconvinced the conventional wisdom John McCain seems to be embracing according to this campaign report is the correct move for him right now, especially in contrast to this new Examiner editorial on McCain's immediate challenge - getting the Republican base on board the Straight Talk Express. More specifically, might any version of McCainamania his campaign dreams up be a bit long on the "look at me, I'm a moderate" form of egomania we've seen from McCain in the past? For now, such press might be better saved for the Fall.

PHOENIX (AP) - John McCain sees one downside to having clinched the Republican presidential nomination: There's less attention focused on him than on the volatile contest between Democrats Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama.

McCain understands he must compete for the spotlight. "I think it's going to be very exciting to watch," he said of the Democrats.

"It makes me have to work harder, obviously, to make sure that we maintain the visibility," McCain told reporters last week. "It's also, when we think about it, a very long time from March to November. That's a long trip."

To some extent, McCain could probably accomplish both goals. From The Examiner:

But McCain can mitigate such (conservative) concerns by filing an amicus brief in support of the petitioner in a case now making its way through the federal courts, SpeechNow.org v. the Federal Election Commission. SpeechNow.org is an association of private individuals seeking contributions from other private individuals.

McCain can afford to be out of the headlines now, so long as they aren't defining him negatively. Most voters aren't even paying attention, except perhaps to the current Democrat death match between Obama and Hillary, which doesn't exactly hurt McCain. When your opponent is weakening itself, it's best to get out of the way. And perhaps more importantly in McCain's case, if he follows his typical path to making headlines - displaying his moderate, anti-conservative bent, he'll only hurt himself more with the very base he needs.

For now, I remain unconvinced McCain can put John McCain aside long enough to seal any potential deal with the Right.

Comments

[elixelx]

Fairness Doctrine anyone?

[retire05]

A few weeks ago McCain voted "no" on a bill to ban water boarding. Then he goes on 60 Minutes and says that waterboarding is torture and that after WWII the Japanese were tried on torture because of waterboarding. But in true McCain style, he didn't bother to say how many of those WWII Japanes were CONVICTED on waterboarding. With his stand on that, I wonder how many voters who lost family, friends and neighbors on 9-11 will vote for him now. McCain was being interviewed by a liberal program and it seems that he is willing to say what it takes to pander to the audience.

The best thing McCain could do is keep his mouth shut the next eight months. He seems to be his own worst enemy when he highlights that every time he reaches out across the aisle, it seems to be from the left side.

[greghh]

From the web advertising and videos I've seen, McCain is having to spend a lot of money doing something a nominee shouldn't have to do: convince members of his own party that they should vote for him.
Rotsa Ruck, John.

[Scrapiron]

How did the democrat gods (Clintons) fall from the mountain so fast? They (Clintons) should take the same position I do, Never trust a liberal democrat. Replaced by a man with a more questionable past than they have, and who's only experience is a speach in 2002. Every bill passed with his name on it was stolen from someone else in the plan to hype Hussein Obama's record. Dem democrats take the cake.

[Andy B]

The problem with the McCainiac's is that they temper their opinions and ideas to what they think the liberal media's reaction to it will be.

[seekeronos]

Off-topic, but this might be of interest:

Scuttlebutt is that Ron Paul is dropping his POTUS bid...

http://www.mainstreamlibertarian.com/ (midway down the page, rightmost column)

http://race42008.com/2008/02/09/breaking-ron-paul-to-end-presidential-run/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk_vVaZxTno (long-winded Paul message [7+ min] with him speaking of his campaign in the past tense.

On Paul's POTUS campaign site, he hasn't announced made any formal withdrawal announcement, but I guess the other stuff referenced above is a good sign that he has done his last reality check, and is not investing any more real effort other than trying to get a speaking venue at the GOP convention.

[Lala]

Breaking news - Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) NY linked to prostitution ring

[chris]

You know if it was a Republican, the hookers would have been men.

[WAHOO WILLIE]

"Breaking news - Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) NY linked to prostitution ring.

You know if it was a Republican, the hookers would have been men."

Are all of these people perverts? Male or female, why the hell do these sickos have to go to the gutter to get a little?

[chris]

Yes.

[templar knight]

"You know if it was a Republican, the hookers would have been men."

And here I thought Sen. Vitter was a Republican, chris. My mistake. I guess. Right, chris.

[seekeronos]

"------------------

"Breaking news - Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) NY linked to prostitution ring.

You know if it was a Republican, the hookers would have been men."

Are all of these people perverts? Male or female, why the hell do these sickos have to go to the gutter to get a little?

------------------"

"Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely"

- Lord Acton

[chris]

Excellent point, grillmaster. David Vitter is a Lord-loving, Family Values Republican who just happens to love the troops and FEMALE hookers. Well done.

[WAHOO WILLIE]

What I find pitiful is the score keeping, worrying about parties. Activitie for the weak and sheeplike I suppose. We should all be outraged and demand accountability.....but all it seems we do is play these weak ass partisan games. We deserve whatever happens to us!

[Lala]

Spitzer was elected by 70 percent of the voters. He campaigned on being Mr. Clean. One of the first things he wanted to do was to allow illegal aliens to have NY State drivers'licenses.

The next was to parole murderers. A cop-killer was almost paroled until the family got wind of it and stopped it.

Now he wants to equalize sentences for crack cocaine and powder cocaine possession. The stiff penalties for crack is one of the reasons that led to the historic crime drop in NY.

He is known as client number 9 at the Emporer's Club.

The bad part is that if he resigns he will be replaced by Patterson who wants cops not to shoot to kill but to shoot to wound.

[templar knight]

Thank you for the clarification, chris. And by the way, speaking of grillmaster, did you see me on the Food Network the Sunday evening before last?

[IslamoLlama]

"--The bad part is that if he resigns he will be replaced by Patterson who wants cops not to shoot to kill but to shoot to wound.--"

But will they still be allowed to taser pregnant women and college students? Because if they can't do that, I'll really get my panties in a twist.

I do like how Spitzer's "Mr Clean" campaign makes his sexy time with paid professionals worse than David Vitter - who, I presume, campaigned on the "getting spanked by a leather clad dominatrix while wearing a diaper" platform. (Isn't Vitter still in office, btw?)

[WAHOO WILLIE]

"getting spanked by a leather clad dominatrix while wearing a diaper"

OK without the diaper you'd have a date. No pay of course

[retire05]

Notice how the New York Slimes didn't bother to put the (D) behind Spitzer's name? If it had been a Republican the lede would have read "Eliot Spitzer, REPUBLICAN governor of New York,.........."

[katablog]

Going back to the original thread........ McAmnesty will have to actually have a Straight Talk Express before he can get anyone on it.

Moving on to Politicians: I'm convinced they are all corrupt and sexually deviant. It seems to go with their job.