ST. PAUL — The 2008 Republican National Convention had too much in common with the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston. That's where presidential candidate John Kerry talked endlessly about his military service — to the point where people would joke, "Hey, did you know that John Kerry served in Vietnam?" Nor did Teresa Heinz Kerry — the Massachusetts senator's heiress second wife — set delegates on fire. By that convention's end, the crowd clearly lacked gusto for their nominee and the campaign ahead.
Last week in St. Paul, the Republican convention dwelled too long on McCain's POW status — and, yes, he is a true hero — and McCain's wife didn't seem to connect with the delegates. There was less hoopla after McCain's speech than after that of his running mate, Sarah Palin.
Like Kerry, John McCain seemed stuck in the past. He didn't talk about America's future as much as he should have. His campaign team made the convention too personal — too much about McCain, too little about his vision on how he would govern.
The best political speeches start at Point A and end up at Point C, D or even E. There is an argument, a purpose, an attempt to persuade.
In his speech, McCain, like too many politicians, served up a jumble of letters, embellished with cutesy sentences that served as shorthand for the larger arguments he failed to articulate:
"All you ever asked of government is to stand on your side, not in your way," for small government.
"We're all God's children, and we're all Americans," for the immigration debate.
"We are going to stop sending $700 billion a year to countries that don't like us very much," as a stand-in for a foreign policy discussion.
This does not serve him well.
There are voters out there who wonder: If McCain is elected, will his emphasis be on economics or social issues? What are the things he thinks government should do, and what can it not do? What, if anything, does McCain have to offer to Libertarian-leaning Republicans?
McCain has advocated cutting corporate taxes to create jobs. But he doesn't make the case. He uses one statistic — that America's business tax rate is the second highest in the world — and leaves it at that.
McCain surrogates frequently dismissed Barack Obama, saying America doesn't need dramatic speeches. Maybe America doesn't need them, but McCain does. He ought to think of the next eight weeks as a first date. It's not enough to throw out a series of pickup lines. You have to throw in a little romance. And you don't spend dinner talking about yourself.
E-mail Debra J. Saunders at dsaunders@sfchronicle.com. To find out more about Debra J. Saunders, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.
COPYRIGHT 2008 CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC.
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3 Comments | Post Comment
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Ma'am; I must differ with you. Mccain's speech was not about presenting anything like a rational argument. It was a recognition code offered to a bunker full of ideologues who would accept death before surrender. If it were possible to put Mr. Palin's head on John Mccain's body, he might walk funny, but they would vote for him. She knows all the code words, but with her it is not code, but how she actually thinks. You know, it was supposed to look to America like John Mccain was taking those spoiled rotten republicans to the wood shed, and they sure looked whipped at times. It is hard to have your guy say things are not working as they should, when for you, they are great. But things are not great; and yet, who wants truth out of their candidate? What everyone wants is happy days, and, fear is all we need to fear. What they are handing out in Michigan is: More drilling means more jobs, and the democrats won't let the oil companies drill. The problem is clear: We can't afford the future, but if we only pay more, and give more of our country away for nothing, we can still afford the past. And, it is hard to blame the democrats when they and theirs have suffered most the effects of the republican failures. They may have given wall street and the president all they rope they needed to tie one on, and who knew it was a slipknot? Don't they all buy into the same economic nonsense? As long as they think the great depression is history and not the future, they will not govern.... I think John Mccain and his pet hocky mom should keep their mouth's shut. Forget about romance. He has got his name on the ballot, and his only hope is that more people hate black men than love their country. Short of that, He does not have a prayer. Thanks... Sweeney
Comment: #1
Posted by: James A, Sweeney
Sun Sep 7, 2008 7:35 PM
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Pretty good Mr. Sweeney, I couldn't say it better. Let's keep all these Repubs focused on how well they've done during the 8 years they've had it their way. Exactly how they ordered it. I just saw on the News Hour With Jim Lehrer some video clips of the Bush-Gore debate way back when. Way back, that is, when the issue was how to divvy up the...surplus! Can you believe it? That was rich. (Pun intended.) It's not rich now. ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
How is it that the voters are such suckers? They are about to strike the same old beaten up fishing lure like an Alaskan grayling that just doesn't have it in its brain to get the significance of those treble hooks. ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Oops, I'm writing like an elitist. Newark New Jersey's Imamu Amiri Baraka, aka Leroy Jones, a phony African wanna be, had an expression for that kind of elitism a long time ago. He called it "belittling the consciousness of the people." Too bad he's not around to help remind the McCain crew of the fine tradition they perpetuate.
Comment: #2
Posted by: Masako
Mon Sep 8, 2008 7:28 PM
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Re: Masako; Sir...to answer why people are such suckers you have to know how difficult change is for people. And it is remarkable that Mr. Mccain would say anything about change, really, since theirs is the party of grab all you can get and lock it up tight. Look at it in its historical context. America does not work. The nation is broke. Dr. Mccain and nurse Plain want to give it the medicine of failed ideals and policies. The people know the situation is looking dim; but they are also bound by other considerations. What is their moral outlook, or their religion, or their racial concerns, or their sex? The thing is; regardless of need, and no matter how much this country needs change and expects it from others, it cannot change because all its ideals, and all its forms, like all forms, -of society, of party, of religion, and even of nation are made, and meant to resist change. The problem is that while these forms resist sweeping change, as in revolution; they do not resist the tinkering sort of change that can make them useless and counter productive for all people over time. And that is where we are today. We need change, and we are afraid of change. We all know the form of government we have is the problem, and we all want it to be the solution. A solution waits while we learn what forms are, and that they can be changed, even though, as Jefferson says in the declaration, that: mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing forms to which they are accustomed. So if it is all of mankind we are talking about, none can be judged worse than another. The rich want to hang on to their forms, and the poor fear also to be without the little protection it gives to them. Until each has had enough of party and government failure the same stupid situation will repeat again and again and again. It is, as Jefferson said, ourselves that we have to right.. Thanks... and best.. Sweeney
Comment: #3
Posted by: James A, Sweeney
Tue Sep 9, 2008 5:43 AM
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