It will go down in history as a textbook case of how not to run a campaign. As more of his staffers continue to jump ship, it is only a matter of time before we'll hear the announcement that John McCain is dropping out of the race. How did it happen? Consider the long-view. Over the course of a distinguished career in the United States Senate, you work hard to build a reputation as a independent voice. People go so far as to call you a maverick, a guy who is willing to buck the party establishment and stand on principle. In your first run for the presidency, you garner strong support, only to see your reputation dragged through the mud by the Republican contest's eventual victor. But in defeat you are humble. You steel yourself, buck up, even make peace with the new president for the good of the country.
Eight years later you get your chance to run again. But by now something has changed. You have thought long and hard about what went wrong the first time around. You have asked yourself, how could a man like George W. Bush have actually beaten me? One answer seems unavoidable. To win, you must cozy up to the Religious right. So you start saying strange things. You praise religious zealots you once criticized. You give speeches that make you sound like an insurance salesman trying to drum up business. Worse, because he is the incumbent, you believe you must cozy up to the very man who questioned your mental acuity as a result of the torture you endured in Viet Nam. In short, you start pandering, the very activity that seemed so antithetical to your nature all those years ago. Add in support for George Bush's failed war, and George Bush's failed immigration bill, and that's all she wrote. It's over. In short, you seemed to learn all the wrong lessons from the first time around.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 2)
1. Hoe got in bed with Ted Kennedy not the relegious right
jim at 3:52PM on Jul 16th 2007
2. McCain got in with the left and especially Ted Kennedy it caused his demise not the relegious right!
jim at 3:50PM on Jul 16th 2007
3. David Knowles, you are a very small man with a very small feel for politics. Senator McCain told the World and George Bush he was mangling the War in Iraq 4 years ago; by not adding enough troops, not training Iraqi Soldiers, not having the right Military Commanders involved, that torturing Iraqis beyond Geneva Convention Limits would come to bite us badly, and that we needed to support and demand that Iraq have a stronger more inclusive Government, that would at least stop these Shiite divides in their tracks. Did Bush listen? No not until 3 1/2 years later, and you call him a partner with Bush. If Bush would have been as stupid as he has been on everything else, and let Iraq stand pat with no troop build up, McCain would be the Hero now, as the only one with the record going back saying I told you so.
Also, before Bush had a position on Immigration, Senator McCain's position on Amnesty and strong border control has been clear for years. It has nothing to do with George Bush.
In addition, McCain has to do some pandering to the Religious Right if he wants to win in the South. This is evidenced by the fact that he is still polling strong in South Carolina, a State that he got pummeled in 2000. Here he learned from a mistake correctly.
But, if you think that this means he has compromised other main principles and Maverick positions again either you are inexperienced or just a plain poor Journalist. Why would he continue to go out on a limb and be one of a few Republican Senators and vote for Stem Cell Research when the Bush continues to Veto it (yeah he is a strong Religious Right Guy)? Why would he have a completely none oil dependent energy strategy that is totally against his party, and of course Bush? Why would he give a monumental Military policy speech at Arlington VA on July 13th, that among other things, called for 20,000 top Military Analysts to be used as a Think Tank to strategize as to how to best use our Military Worldwide; as to breakdown Fundamental Isalmists in different ways other than bombing them, not just win over countries by having them vote, turn our attention to other parts of the world than just Islam (China, Africa, South America, Mexico, Latin America, Russia, and more)? It was the best Military policy speech I have heard for a new Military World that is in of Major Repair.
And Senator McCain has lost his way and is no longer a Maverick according to DAVID KNOWLES. You couldn't be more wrong. The problem is none of what you speak of, but the fact that he can't get money from big Corporations and Lobbyists like every other Candidate, is true. That is what doomed him in 2000. He will survive this time, because, when the issues come up, he will crush his competition in debates. This time around we will not get fooled like we did by George Bush in 2000 throwing around Millions of Dollars of Negative Campaign Ads, but having nothing intelligent to say. McCain is the real deal, with the most EXPERIENCE, the best speaker/debater, without a doubt, the best Commander in Chief since Eisenhower, and the most well rounded Candidate in years. That is why I wouldn't even come close to saying the "Fat Lady Still Singing for McCain." You just have no sense for history, and it is way to early in the election process. If it were April of 2008, I might agree. But, KNOWLES there hasn't been a Primary yet. McCain can survive on a Grassroots program until then, and he still has much more than that. David Knowles, I think you ought to go back to Journalism School, if you even went to one, to learn how to get your facts. This was a pathetic article.
Brian Singer
Brian Singer at 7:31PM on Jul 16th 2007
4. Dear Brian,
Thanks for taking the time to comment. It seems we have a different reading on the McCain collapse. Also, you seem to be confused as to the nature of blog writing versus that of journalism. I do not claim to be a journalist, rather, a commentator.
While you do make some good points about McCain's trajectory, and I have given him the broad brush treatment, my take is that he greatly compromised his maverick status in courting the religious right. Immigration was indeed a problem that he'd worked on for quite some time, and he just found himself on the wrong side of the issue as far as the Republican primary was concerned. As far as Iraq goes, his disasterous stroll through Baghdad seemed to sum up what is a very precarious position on the war. What leardership does he provide on this subject? We must win in Iraq. Plan B? Like Bush, he has no plan B. Yes, he was critical of the execution of the first 4 years, but that seems to be a rather moot point given that he has so embraced the surge.
You are clearly a McCain supporter, and, in fact, there's a lot that I have admired about the man over the years. His campaign this time around is going nowhere fast. Grass roots support? What is your evidence? Look at Barack Obama if you want to see grass roots support.
It is my opinion that McCain's time has passed, and that is simply an opinion. It's just a blog, after all.
david knowles at 7:43PM on Jul 16th 2007
5.
I felt that McCain put himself out of the race for president when he started pandering to the religious groups. He looked as though he was nothing more than a political hack, and was losing touch with his independent manner of thinking. He jus looked so artificial, and at the mercy of the same group that holds Republicans to a litmus test. WhenI saw him presenting himself to these people, I said to my self then, "he is finihed" This was months ago.
Tom Crumley at 8:36AM on Jul 18th 2007
6. perhaps he can resume his movie career as a communist film proproganda star. He is an enemy collaborator who would have received the Bobby Garwood treatment if his father was not an Admiral in the pacific fleet. He is the communist vietnam candidate for any american office. He suffers from PTSD his enemy interogation records should be made public when seeking the highest office of the land. how does a POW return home with a weight gain if he wasn't pampered?
lou at 1:23PM on Jul 18th 2007
7. John does not have much money in his "war chest" because he is refusing to sell out. You all go ahead and vote for the next "sell out" politition then spend the next four years wondering why our country is going down the drain....
sam iam at 4:50PM on Jul 18th 2007
8. The author of this opinion piece could not be more wrong if he tried. McCain has never had a chance as the Republican front-runner. He was only the darling of the media. McCain alienated the Republican base in many ways over much time--the latest being his support for the highly unpopular immigration bill.
The author can complain of Bush campaign tactics in 2000, but the real reason the Republicans do not support Senator McCain for President has a lot more to do with the Senator. That being said, the country is fortunate to have such a man in the Senate.
Mrs. Odell Nesbitt at 6:17PM on Jul 18th 2007
9. David Knowles is correct. McCain's prime time to become president was in 2000. He ran a good campaign but Bush outsmarted him, that is all. McCain was a fresh face in 2000 - even though he had been a Senator for many years, he was not widely known. He was a maverick who was not afraid to tell his own party when they were wrong, and that was very attractive to many folks.
It is eight years later, and he is eight years older (age 70)and he has run a lousy campaign. Now he just seems like another career politician. McCain's campaign was in trouble long before he sided with Ted Kennedy - AND Geroge Bush - on immigration. His sticking with Bush on the war through thick and thin probably matters little. The GOP base who still sticks with Bush never really liked or trusted McCain anyway. It is the independent voter McCain has alienated.
David S. at 6:19PM on Jul 18th 2007
10. IT'S TIME SOMEONE IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY STOOD UP AND SAID WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE DEMOCRATS. NO ONE HAS SAID A SINGLE WORD ABOUT THE DEMOCRATS AND ALL THEIR NEGATIVE TALK BUT NOT A SINGLE WORD ABOUT WHAT SOLUTIONS THEY BRING TO THE TABLE, OTHER THAN SAY THAT WE NEED TO GET OUT OF THE WAR IN IRAQ. GET OUT BUT WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO IN IT'S PLACE WHEN ALL THESE PEOPLE JUST WANT YOU TO DIE AND EXPECT MORE THREATS AND KILLINGS AT YOUR FRONT DOOR. CRITIZE YES, BUT GIVE ME A SOLUTION TO THESE TERRORISTS.
daniel galarza at 6:08PM on Jul 19th 2007
11. McCain is washed up. He should call it quits and throw in the towel. Enough is enough.
pkp161 at 7:19PM on Jul 19th 2007
12. BYE JOHN
PLANOHALL5 at 8:23PM on Jul 19th 2007
13. GOOD BYE JOHN.
LARRY HALL at 8:23PM on Jul 19th 2007
14. McCain can't even manage his own campaign finances($38,000 on furniture?) how the heck is he going to get the U.S. deficit under control and balance the U.S. budget? NO VOTE HERE!!
Karla at 12:33AM on Jul 20th 2007
15. show them who the hell you really are sir. you and rudy are the only 2 real men in the f-ing race.what the hell is going on? we need a old soldier to be president and not fade away. make your stand. god bless in Christ name.
bill at 1:12AM on Jul 31st 2007