Friday, February 08, 2008
Mac's Rise
Three thoughts on John McCain's address at CPAC and and claiming of the Republican presidential nomination:
1) Whatever McCain speechwriter/ghostwriter/alter-ego Mark Salter gets paid, it isn't enough.
2) McCain was smart to take the advice of Kate O'Beirne and Ramesh Ponnuru in training his guns on the Democratic candidates.
3) While he genuflected before conservatives on the immigration issue, he didn't grovel. He reminded them of his conservative record -- like on Bork! -- but didn't make himself look bowed. That is important: While he needs the conservatives to stay with him, he can't afford to look weak. It is deadly for a candidate to look like he is being bullied (think about Michael Dukakis in 1988 with Jesse Jackson). Especially given that McCain's major issue is national security, he can't appear to look like he is being kicked around by his base -- as opposed to respecting and working with that base. I think McCain struck the right balance.
Oh, and Mitt Romney's, "I'm dropping out because we are at war?" Please. As if the country has never been able to work through the political process -- and elections -- during wartime. This was the first time that I really felt the irritating phoniness about Romney that others have noted.
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1) Whatever McCain speechwriter/ghostwriter/alter-ego Mark Salter gets paid, it isn't enough.
2) McCain was smart to take the advice of Kate O'Beirne and Ramesh Ponnuru in training his guns on the Democratic candidates.
3) While he genuflected before conservatives on the immigration issue, he didn't grovel. He reminded them of his conservative record -- like on Bork! -- but didn't make himself look bowed. That is important: While he needs the conservatives to stay with him, he can't afford to look weak. It is deadly for a candidate to look like he is being bullied (think about Michael Dukakis in 1988 with Jesse Jackson). Especially given that McCain's major issue is national security, he can't appear to look like he is being kicked around by his base -- as opposed to respecting and working with that base. I think McCain struck the right balance.
Oh, and Mitt Romney's, "I'm dropping out because we are at war?" Please. As if the country has never been able to work through the political process -- and elections -- during wartime. This was the first time that I really felt the irritating phoniness about Romney that others have noted.
Labels: conservatives, GOP 2008 President, John McCain, Mitt Romney
