by Frank James
In his victory speech last night after the results of the Potomac Primary were in, Sen. John McCain signaled that he intends to play mind games from here on out with his two fellow senators who are competing for the Democratic presidential nomination.
McCain, for instance, called out Sen. Barack Obama, his fellow primary sweep mate, with a line like:
"To encourage a country with only rhetoric rather than sound and proven ideas that trust in the strength and courage of free people is not a promise of hope. It is a platitude."
So, he basically called Obama an empty suit of a "hope monger," to use the senator from Illinois's own phrase.
Then there was this line:
But I will fight every moment of every day for what I believe is right for this country, and I will not yield. And, my friends, I promise you, I am fired up and ready to go.
That plagiarism, of course, was a direct borrowing from the rallying cry with which Obama typically ends his speeches, something Obama himself borrowed from a South Carolina politician who, by this point must be swelling with pride at the rhetorical impact she's had on the 2008 presidential race.
Meanwhile, whatever allusions McCain made to Sen. Hillary Clinton, were nearly hidden, which was the point.
It seemed as though McCain was trying to get under Clinton's skin by suggesting that he was looking past her and towards Obama as his eventual opponent in the fall. He could have said: I'll be more ready on day one, which would have been a clear shot at Clinton, but he didn't.
Although he acknowledged the Democratic race was unsettled, it almost seemed like he was writing off Clinton. Even for a candidate as psychically tough as Clinton is said to be, that has to hurt, especially when for such a long time it was Clinton's name that was constantly on McCain's lips.
Just a thought, but maybe a man who survived five years as a prisoner of war has a finer appreciation of mind games than most people.
From his performance last night, it appears McCain means to get inside the heads of his opponents as well as voters and have a little fun in the process. Whatever else happens, McCain promises to make the fall campaign entertaining, perhaps even riveting.
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Comments
"But I will fight every moment of every day for what I believe is right for this country, and I will not yield."
Earth to Sleepy John McCain. You are a Bush Republican, we tried what you believe is right and this country is not better off than we were 8 years ago, we are worse. Talking tough does not make you competent and does not give you good judgement.
Posted by: john | February 13, 2008 10:47 AM
Did anyone watch the Senator's rousing and inspiring victory speech last night? I couldn't help but get choked up from the deep sense of pride he instilled in me. It was probably the greatest moment I've witnessed in my entire life. I am now a living, breathing McCainiac. His oratory skills are awesome and but Barack "Hussein" Obama's to shame. He's Muslime right? His brother is leader of the Communist Party in Africa right? The choice is clear.
Posted by: chuck mcelroy | February 13, 2008 10:52 AM
Hopefully his mind games are far more interesting than his speech pattern. He is so much better one on one, but in public it is just depressing to hear his monotone style talk. if he doesnt improve and Obama is his opponent in the general, it will be a repeat of the Kennedy/Nixon debates.
Posted by: Weiss | February 13, 2008 11:07 AM
A McCain versus Obama race would certainly be inspiring for their appeals to bi-partisanship, but what I see happening is McCain losing many independents when he swings to the right to appease his base. When he realizes that much of his base is going to be sitting on their hands come election day (since many of them seem okay with the prospect of a President Obama), he'll have already isolated a lot of his independent support. It's going to be important to look back at voting records to decide between the two, but it'll be very important to consider McCain's recent change of heart on many issues.
excerpted from: http://www.politicalmaelstrom.blogspot.com
Posted by: Jesse | February 13, 2008 11:46 AM
describing one's self as a 'hope monger' sounds like a manipulative way to empower oneself in the populist's eye.
Sadly, this campaign has taken form around nothing other than calls for "hope" and "change". If thats what America wants, then thats what America should get... but look before you leap!
Posted by: Steve S | February 13, 2008 11:46 AM
"MCCAIN SPEAKS"
NOW YOU SEE ME, NOW YOU DON'T. THAT IS THE GOP WAY. NO FALSE RHETORICAL SPEECHES, NO FLIP FLOPPING.
MY RECORD SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
SO WHAT IF I WAS A DO NOTHING REPUBLICAN AND JUST HELD MY "JOB" BECAUSE I WASN'T THE BREAD WINNER IN MY FAMILY.
SO WHAT IF I LET GEORGE BUSH AND DICK CHENEY TRAMPLE ME, MY SPOUSE, MY CHILDREN WHOM ARE SERVING IN THE MILITARY UNLIKE GEORGE BUSH OR ANYONE IN HIS CABINET.
SO WHAT, SO WHAT, IF OBAMA HAS THE MEXICAN AMERICAN VOTE, THE AFRICAN AMERICAN VOTE. BY THE TIME WE GET ELECTION TIME, GEORGE BUSH'S AND KARL ROVES JUDICIAL WATCH U.S. ATTORNEYS WILL TURN UP THE HEAT ON THE BLACKS WHO MOVED AND DIDN'T UPDATE THEIR NEW ADDRESS. U.S. ATTORNEYS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WILL START PROSECUTING VOTER FRAUD BY THOSE MEXICANS WHO DIDN'T RETURN ANY OF THE FOUR EARLY BALLOTS WE FLOODED THEM WITH PRIOR TO ANY PRIMARIES.
SO, AMERICA, MY MIND GAMES WILL BE EVEN BETTER THAN MY GOP PREDECESSORS, I'M GOING TO EXTEND EVERYONE IN AMERICA MY NEW "SKYWATCH" FORENSIC DNA TATOO AND THEY WILL SERVE UNTO MY "SECRETARY"
JOE LIEBERMAN.
NO MORE "CONGRESSIONAL CHURN" OR STUPID OVERSIGHT ON STUPID CIVIL LIBERTIES IN AMERICA.
JUST ME AND MY SECRETARY AND ALL THE RHETORICAL BS WE CAN COME UP WITH.
Posted by: Roger Morris | February 13, 2008 12:44 PM
A majority of the supporters for Obama, espicially naive college students jumping on the "change" bandwagon, have absolutely no clue about any of the policies he's proposing other than he wants "change" and that Obama is a good speaker...they have absolutely no clue what he's going to have to do to construct this change or the implications these changes will have on our country. Once he has an actual debate with someone that is going to question his methods, other than his friendly debates with Hillary, i think a lot of people will realize he's a novice politician with lofty goals that have little backing.
Posted by: Brandon Taylor | February 13, 2008 12:57 PM
This one is an interesting flip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gwqEneBKUs&eurl=http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/2/11/9435/13800/190/454427
Obama 08
Posted by: andre walker | February 13, 2008 1:54 PM
I thought McCain stood for the American people in 2000. Today, I think he stands for corporations of the Defense and Oil sectors. Why is that? ...
Posted by: Jean Desjardins | February 13, 2008 1:58 PM
Earth to john (the first guy to post on this thread):
No, we haven't tried everything McCain believes is right. One thing I know he's been lambasted for by fellow Republicans is calling them out for their out-of-control spending while cutting taxes. That's the reason he gave for voting against the Bush tax cuts the first time around. So if we tried that, a little fiscal discipline, maybe the country would be a little better off right now. I'm not a gung-ho McCain guy like Jeff, but I know the GOP didn't listen to McCain on that one.
Posted by: JB | February 13, 2008 2:10 PM
When CNN switched from Obama's speech to McCain's last night, it was like something was wrong with my TV set.
All the energy, color and excitement just evaporated.
I have respect for McCain but whoever is writing his speeches needs to prop him in front of a endless loop tape of Obama's stump speech.
Obama's language is simple but also electric. McCain sounds like a sleepy robo-teleprompter playing back recycled Reagan speeches without the charisma or speaking skill.
Posted by: Charles | February 13, 2008 2:54 PM
chuck mcelroy, thank you for the report from your planet. Or is that a parallel universe. In any case, you seem to reading from an obsolete version of the Republican talking points. Please click refresh.
Posted by: Tom J | February 13, 2008 3:23 PM
I think McCain could well be a Manchurian Candidate just lying in wait. How, otherwise, is it possible for someone so lacking in color and dynamics to get the nomination? America....be very very careful about this ex-POW...
Posted by: Bob | February 13, 2008 3:27 PM
I noticed that no Obama supporter has disagreed with my above statement...i'm assuming that means that you agree; i've listened to a few of his speeches and his debates and he very rarely brings up any points other than his philosophical standpoints (he's for change, against the war, hates poverty, fought in the streets, wants better education...) I have yet to hear him say how he's going to accomplish his changes besides raise tax rates for the rich and businesses (which isn't how you keep jobs in the U.S. Our corporate tax rates are already ridiculously high), please enlighten me.
And anyone who gets down on McCain for being against the tax cuts and then for them is completely ignorant to the facts. He was against them because they weren't accompanied by spending cuts (which any true republican would make sure happens...bush isn't, he's a liberal spender and all of the republicans should mention this) and he's for making them permanent because it makes no sense to repeal them after the fact since he plans to lower taxes across the board
http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/0B8E4DB8-5B0C-459F-97EA-D7B542A78235.htm
Posted by: Brandon Taylor | February 13, 2008 5:16 PM
It's obvious that someone who faced daily torture in solitary confinement knows a lot more about keeping hope alive than someone who "did a little blow" to escape from the rigors of his private school because the gym teacher was mean to him.
We're fired up, too, John!
Posted by: Jeff | February 13, 2008 7:33 PM