who is john mccain?
by Ari Holtz
Published: June 30, 2008
One notices something when comparing Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign to that of Sen. John McCain. Actually, one notices a few things - polar opposite speaking styles, immensely different levels of excitement and the contrast of age. Further, though, one notices a difference in identity between McCain and Obama. To the point - Obama has one, McCain doesn’t. McCain should be very, very worried about this. Consider the erstwhile campaigns of Al Gore, John Kerry and Hillary Clinton. These people didn’t know who they were. And they all lost. McCain, if he wants to succeed in this campaign life, better make like a 16-year-old in therapy and figure out who he is.
Unlike an adolescent, McCain did once know who he was. In 2000, he was the maverick, the straight-talker, the independent rebel who bucked his party by challenging their chosen son in the primaries. Independents, and even some Democrats, were attracted to his authenticity and transcendence of the party-line. His unexpected run at the nomination made him a national figure.
Since then, though, McCain has shattered, come undone, disintegrated. He’s found himself facing a man who is a living embodiment of post-racial, post-partisan politics. Obama is change, change, change, Mr. Move-Past-Bush-And-Embrace-the-Future. And McCain, is, well, um, who knows? Much less comfortable as the nominee or front-runner than he is as the insurgent, McCain is confused.
One minute he is touting his experience and foreign-policy bona fides. The next minute he’s co-opting Obama’s change message (and poorly!), saying that Obama is “not change we can believe in.” He claims to be bipartisan and an agent of progress, but then he supports Bush on Iraq, taxes, judges, abortion, gay rights and is to the right of him (!) on Iran. McCain has tried to regain his independent streak with talk about climate change and immigration, but it’s been an uphill battle.
It’s uphill because he also must please a Republican base that currently embraces him, to the extent that they do, only because there is no better option, no Jeb Bush or Bill Frist, to support. McCain’s now-I-love-you-now-I-don’t relationship with the religious right encapsulates this. During the 2000 primaries, he called the Revs. Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson “agents of intolerance” who exercised “evil influence” over the GOP. This year, though, he accepted the support of the hate-monger Rev. John Hagee before he rejected it. Hagee has called the Catholic Church a “false cult system” and “the Great Whore.” Lovely. Just this past week, McCain made a pilgrimage to the home of evangelist Franklin Graham, who has called Islam “a very evil and wicked religion.” Even lovelier.
Will the real John McCain please stand up? Is he the Republican who breaks free from the shackles of right-wing religious fanaticism or just another Republican politician kowtowing for votes? Is he the maverick who will shun Bush-Rove political orthodoxy for a third way or is he Bush’s third term?
I’m not sure that McCain knows.
Consistency of identity is vital for a candidate because it resonates so strongly with voters. Americans want to know who they are voting for. If a candidate’s very persona shifts day-to-day, week-to-week, it appears that he or she is a cipher, an empty vessel, inhuman. It does not engender trust or allegiance.
John Kerry - war hero or effete wind surfer? Al Gore - conservative southern Democrat or a bizarre stiff inappropriately making out with his wife while thinking about earth-tone sweaters? Hillary Clinton - crying at a New Hampshire event or oddly speaking ebonics in an African-American church?
If voters have to wonder, if they sense that insecurity in a individual, they are not likely to vote for him or her. Obama’s identity as an agent of change and unity can be argued with or criticized, but it is consistent, clear and strong. Voters know who he is. He knows who he is. John McCain once knew who he was. He’d better rediscover himself if he wants to stand a chance of becoming our next president.
—
(email this article or post to social network)
—
July 1st, 2008 at 5:39 pm
obama stands for change. But BAD change where mccain stands for GOOD change. Obama says change change change and does say anything about policy or specific examples. Yes, he has good speaking skills, but thats about it. He has 2 years of experience in the senate and is not ready to run a country.
John McCain is very well the maverick when you speak about ANWR, Gitmo, climate change, restriction of speech…mccain is very well in the middle. Not only is he different than bush on ALL those issues, he is also different than bush in that he wants cuts in spending AND taxes while bush only cut taxes without cutting spending. McCain is VASTLY different than Bush and i laugh at every person that is saying he is running for Bush’s third term because that clearly shows me he hasnt the faintest idea about politics.
America wants good change. McCain was against ANWR, but that was his position when a gallon was 2 bucks. Now its over 4 bucks and rising. McCain now wants to drill because Americans want lower prices. He is a MAVERICK, he works well with BOTH parties. He listens to the American people. He is not RIGHT, he is not LEFT, he is John McCain!
July 1st, 2008 at 5:44 pm
sorry i meant to say “doesnt” instead of “does” in the first paragraph
July 1st, 2008 at 10:40 pm
McCain is *buzzword* who *buzzword* and *buzzword*. He stands for *buzzword* while not neglecting his *buzzword* to *buzzword*, all the while maintaining his *buzzword* in the face of *buzzword* *buzzword*.
July 2nd, 2008 at 1:23 pm
“McCain was against ANWR, but that was his position when a gallon was 2 bucks. Now its over 4 bucks and rising. McCain now wants to drill because Americans want lower prices.” … When gas prices were $2/gallon, there was still an energy crises going on with concerns over oil production then, too. Americans want lower gas prices now, not solely in 10 years, which is at least how long it will take to get drilling set up in ANWAR, and there’s no guarantee there’s anything there we can actually use. If McCain is so great, why wasn’t he proactive $2 ago rather than reactive at $4/gallon?
July 2nd, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Sincerely, I do care if it’s a proactive candidate or a reactive candidate, there’s about 800,000 a day of oil in ANWR for between 20 to 30 years and I want that oil in the supply line. If it hits me in 2 years or 20 years, I don’t care. Someone, somewhere please move now!