Trying to come up with something original to blog about can be a real pain. That’s why many bloggers follow the lead of one of the bigger sites and write about the news of the day with their own special take on what’s happening.
But if you want to blog about something that hardly anyone in the MSM or the internet is writing about, might I suggest you write something about John McCain?
The poor fellow is, for all intents and purposes, being ignored. Now admittedly, the Democratic race (such as it is) holds out a lot more promise of being interesting on any given day. You just never know, for instance, what radical in Obama’s background is going to jump up and say something totally outrageous. After all, the guy has more leftist nuts associated with him than are found at a convention of Communist squirrels. And if you stick a microphone within 10 feet of Bill Clinton, you’re bound to hear something interesting, quotable, and off the wall – three attributes that are guaranteed to generate “controversy.”
Rarely have I seen the media in such lockstep. Each ginned up episode of outrage (as in the press releases from each camp always beginning “Senator Clinton’s outrageous statement…” or “Senator Clinton is outraged at Senator Obama’s statement…”) is dutifully and faithfully reported as if most people actually care about these things. Then to make matters worse, the gaffe or statement is parsed to death, milking every last drop of make believe as if there was something gravely important in it.
And then we are treated to the inevitable “apology” – a less than heartfelt but nevertheless entertaining interlude where we can watch the candidate squirm like a child only recently trained to use the commode . There have been more apologies made by both candidates in this race than a liberal speaking at a convention of oppressed minorities. In fact, perhaps we can just get the historical controversy out of the way and call this campaign the “I’m sorry as hell” election.
Obama’s sorry he hangs around with blatant bigots and anti-American fruitcakes. Hillary is sorry she has to be so mean to Obama but she wants to win so there you are.
And McCain? The GOP candidate is in a rather awkward position. If he tried to apologize for all of Bush’s mistakes, errors in judgement, blunders, misstatements, and outright incompetence, we’d have to pass a Constitutional amendment giving McCain a third term just so that he has time to get it all in.
Failing that, McCain could apologize for nothing and pretend he’s not a Republican – not much of a stretch for the Maverick but a hard sell to the voter nonetheless. There’s the matter of the GOP Convention he is going to have to show up for if he wants to be on the ticket in the fall. At the very least, he has to give an acceptance speech. Knowing McCain’s limitations on the stump, the GOP better hope that the networks are re-running American Gladiator and episodes of 2 and a Half Men. Otherwise, they will be lucky to top Keith Olbermann in the ratings.
But this is McCain’s major problem. Frankly, he’s boring. No one wants to write about an old man with white hair who wants to be in Iraq for 100 years. Or, at least that’s the spin we’re getting from the media.
But truth be told, McCain is, if not a bore, not Mr. Pizazz on the stump. His rhetoric doesn’t soar like Reagan’s. He doesn’t dramatically bite his lower lip when speaking like Clinton. He doesn’t screech like Hillary. And he doesn’t whine like Obama. He is vanilla in an age of pistachio.
And this election cycle, vanilla just might be enough to get the job done. We have been cursed to live in interesting times. So much action packed history has taken place over the last 7 years that we’ve got enough material for a Hollywood epic and at least 3 sequels. Barack Obama offers “change” and the conventional wisdom says that this is going to be enough to carry him to the White House. I say, not so fast. There are different kinds of “change” after all. And suppose the kind of boring, non-premium vanilla ice cream kind of change offered by John McCain is what the people truly want?
Obama doesn’t promise peace and tranquility. How can he when his kind of “change” will necessitate huge battles in Washington against entrenched interests and constant war with Republicans. Obama has never worked with the GOP leadership on anything so the idea that he can bring about meaningful reform is silly. His term in office will be one, long unbroken series of skirmishes, ambushes, and conflicts with everyone – including Democrats on occasion.
On the other hand, McCain has worked with the Democrats on a variety of issues. His kind of leadership promises if not peace, at least a certain respite from some of the partisan wars of the last 7 years. It just may be that this scenario is much more palatable to the American people than the Obama script. At the very least, it will make him competitive in November.
That’s because I predict that by election day, the American people will have grown weary of the exciting Mr. Obama. We really don’t want a rock star for president. Rock stars. as we all know, come with a lot of baggage. The long line of political and religious radicals trailing out behind Mr. Obama as he reaches the finish line in November may, in the end, simply make him too much of a risk for the voter when it comes to choosing a president.
McCain, in the classic tortoise-hare confrontation, will remain steady, uninspiring, and boring – a perfect combination for the majority of white, middle class, middle aged Americans who will be doing most of the voting in November. They don’t want milquetoast. Nor do they want some Gargantua on steroids. They want peace. They want quiet. They want time for the last 8 years to settle in their stomachs before moving on.
Will this kind of change be more palatable than Obama’s?
4:10 pm
When most democrats couldn’t care less about Mr. Rino McCain and all too many conservatives reactions to him are equivalent to John Nance Garner’s estimation of the vice-presidency(“not worth a bucket of warm spit”) why would an otherwise hostile news-media even consider wasting ink or viewing time on him.
5:40 pm
Wait a second…this assumption about John McChange assumes that he will make no mistakes or screw-ups from now until November. How likely is that? For example, remember the 1976 Presidential campaign? “There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe…” That single remark doomed Ford that year, and made Carter look like a genius by comparison. McCain is a man with a temper and a loose cannon for a mouth; already he has made some foolish remarks. To be sure, he hasn’t gotten called out on them as much as Obama and Clinton have for their own stupidity, but how can the MSN ignore him for much longer now that Clinton is almost out?
7:08 pm
“McCain, in the classic tortoise-hare confrontation, will remain steady, uninspiring, and boring – a perfect combination for the majority of white, middle class, middle aged Americans who will be doing most of the voting in November. They don’t want milquetoast. Nor do they want some Gargantua on steroids. They want peace. They want quiet. They want time for the last 8 years to settle in their stomachs before moving on.” – Rick Moran
You’re right, McCain is uninspiring, boring and a poor choice for the Republicans. But, they have a formula that has worked with other poor candidates: “don’t run on the strength of our candidate; instead scare enough voters away from their candidate.”
This time that strategy might not work. This time they have Bob Barr to funnel conservative and Libertarian votes away from their lousy candidate; McCain. According to a recent Reuters/Zogby Poll (May 21, 2008): “Barack Obama has sprinted out to a 10-point lead over Republican John McCain in a four-way presidential contest including Libertarian Bob Barr and Liberal Ralph Nader.”
Maybe next time they will find a candidate to run on their own merits rather than the demerits of the Democrat.
8:23 pm
“They want peace.”
Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran.
5:06 am
Obviously, the MSM will parade and champion their darling Obamessiah, but even some conservative-leaning sites are assisting his holiness (see http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0608/10744.html). Couple that with the disillusion of the hard right with this year’s GOP choice, and nothing is surprising about his near-anonymity.
I think things will improve as we get closer to November. I can remember saying (months ago) that I would boycott the election this year, but I know that I will hold my nose and vote for McMoses. Take me to the promised land, baby.
8:02 am
I saw Bob Becktel on Fox morning show. Becktel is a spinmaster, and a complete shill for the dems. He was as despondent as I have ever seen him about a “Michelle Obama bombshell” that is going to be released to the media this week. Apparently, Michelle doesn’t like “whitey” too much, and has been captured on video in a racist rant at Trinity church. I’ve heard the rumor before, but discounted it. If this is true, I will be more entertained watching how the Obama camp spins this than anything else this year.
Maybe the messiah should have an open dialogue about race with his wife.
Don’t get your hopes up. I think it’s a hoax.
ed.
10:13 am
May be a hoax. Larry Johnson at NoQuarter blog doesn’t think so, and has already discovered the spin: Michelle didn’t say “whitey”, she said “why’d he” do this and that (http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/06/02/booman-blows-the-obama-disinformation-campaign/).
Even if it is a hoax, it appears undeniable that Michelle was sharing the stage with Farrakhan.
That’s an “ouch-er” even without the “whitey”.
Larry Johnson also swore on a stack of bibles that Karl Rove was about to be indicted “within 48 hours” back during the Libby investigation. He says at that time he saw the indictment. Johnson has a history of telling tall tales. That’s another reason to be skeptical.
ed.
12:06 pm
The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the – Web Reconnaissance for 06/03/2008 A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day…so check back often.
11:52 am
[...] Where Is John McCain? Right Wing Nut House [...]
12:48 pm
[...] Bluegrass Bulletin: Obama Names Janet Reno Deputy With Mark Rich Baggage To Veep Committee Pirate’s Cove: Messiah Bans Lobbyist and PAC money sort of maybe Michelle Malkin: Bolton Lights into Obama Riehl World View: McCain Liberman? Daily Pundit: Will Any Black Man Make You Happy? Don Surber: Ted’s Miracle Right Wing Nuthouse: Where is John McCain? [...]
8:25 pm
[...] Bluegrass Bulletin: Obama Names Janet Reno Deputy With Mark Rich Baggage To Veep Committee Pirate’s Cove: Messiah Bans Lobbyist and PAC money sort of maybe Michelle Malkin: Bolton Lights into Obama Riehl World View: McCain Liberman? Daily Pundit: Will Any Black Man Make You Happy? Don Surber: Ted’s Miracle Right Wing Nuthouse: Where is John McCain? [...]
3:04 pm
[...] Where Is John McCain? Right Wing Nut House [...]