by Jill Zuckman
PHOENIX - There was a bittersweet feel to Election Day aboard Sen. John McCain's campaign plane. The candidate seemed subdued, the staff had stopped insisting they would win and the candidate's wife had tears in her eyes.
"This is our last flight on this airplane together," McCain told the traveling press, as Cindy McCain stood at his side, her eyes moist.
"We've had a great ride," said McCain, calling his 24-hour, 7-state, 3,700-mile campaign swing Monday "really a fun day."
"I'm feeling good, feeling confident about the way things have turned out," he said, as Senators Joe Lieberman and Lindsey Graham watched from behind. "It was a great ride, a great experience, it's full of memories that we will always treasure."
In particular, McCain said he was touched by his last rally in Grand Junction, Colorado today, where the crowd was huge and exuberant.
"The rallies have been really quite remarkable and quite heartwarming," he said as his 747 pointed back to Phoenix following a stop in Albuquerque to thank volunteers..
"So, we've spent a lot of time together - some, we've been together almost two years," he said, referring to the press that has covered his every up and down. "Others," he said of the reporters who have traveled with him in even earlier times, "those are the ones who rode around in the van with us."
This was the first time McCain had spoken to the traveling press corps en masse since his last press conference on Sept 23rd in Michigan. Though he began his campaign as the darling of the media, the relationship eventually faded, with campaign officials complaining that the press preferred Sen. Barack Obama.
"We've had a great time together and we wish you every success and look forward to being with you in the future," McCain said, as he quickly turned away and walked toward the front of the plane without taking questions.
Comments
McCain is a good man. He just came up against the most skilled politician of the past 100 years in a year when Democrats had all the advantages. In a year like this McCain cvouldn't even overcome the fact that Obama is black. Any other year and any other politician and race would have guaranteed it for McCain... but not THIS year and not THIS candidate.
Posted by: Mystylplx | November 4, 2008 6:32 PM
In a year like this McCain cvouldn't even overcome the fact that Obama is black.
Posted by: Mystylplx
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Even in defeat the racism is front and center. I hope in four years all the racists stay in their caves. Perhaps the repubs can run a black candidate, too.
Posted by: Bruce Y | November 4, 2008 6:49 PM
I don't think the words of Mystylplx should be interpreted as racist, at least in and of themselves. After all, he calls Obama the most skilled politician in a century -- which is both a tad hyperbolic and not necessarily a compliment in some circles ;)
It's also worth noting that his comment "McCain is a good man" is equally mixed. McCain was dealt a bad hand and, in his desire to win, took a pretty low road in his campaign. While hardly the meanest campaign of recent years -- GHWB nailed that in '88 -- his folks gave up running on the issues early on and tried (almost) every character attack they could muster against Obama. I used to like McCain a lot -- and can definitely muster sympathy for him, he's been running for president for essentially ten years so it had to be hard -- but there's no doubt that he's lost a lot in my eyes and a great many others'.
Posted by: TLM | November 4, 2008 9:00 PM
Senator John McCain:
First and foremost a true American hero, a class act.
You ask when and will racism ever end in this country? Not a chance, as long as people like you keep bringing it up every chance they get. John MCCain NEVER brought up the race factor in his campaign, but Barrack's camp brought it up as much as they could, subliminally or not.
Senator McCain did not lose to Obama because he is "White" or Barrack is the more "experienced" man. Obama won because he had the money, the media in his back pocket and really, really good speech writers. Welcome to "Democracy". Oh, and enjoy it while you can.
Posted by: JoAnne | November 5, 2008 1:44 PM
Posted by: JoAnne | November 5, 2008 1:44 PM
So Obama won because "he had the money, the media in his back pocket and really, really good speech writers"? JoAnne, whatever resources Obama had, he had because people who supported him made sure he had them (and Obama contributed a good bit to writing his own speeches). The most important of those resources -- the ones that actually counted -- were the votes that ELECTED Obama. And, for whatever reason you can pluck, those people voted for him of their own free will.
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Welcome, INDEED -- to Democracy. A system where people get to choose who will govern them. Or is it only a Democracy if a Republican gets elected? Had McCain been chosen as President-elect, I'm sure that you'd be quick to point out that the system was fair and that the voice of the people had been heard -- so whoever disagrees had best learn to shut their traps about any gripes they might have.
Posted by: Op109 | November 5, 2008 3:57 PM