McCain Revisited

27 June 2008 |permalink | email article

‘Maverick’ has in the past always been the cliché of choice in describing John McCain’s independent streak. No more.

But the Pew Research Center found that term didn’t make the list this year when voters were asked to sum up the presumptive Republican presidential candidate.

“Old” got the most mentions, followed by “honest,” “experienced,” patriot,” “conservative” and a dozen more.
Ominously, the words “independent,” “change,” or “reformer” weren’t among them.

The Baltimore Sun has suggested voters have short memories and McCain may have cheapened his own brand.

“He embraced President Bush and attempted to become, like Bush, the choice of the Republican establishment. In the process, he helped obliterate recollections of his first run for president (in 2000), when he became the first Republican in a long time with strong crossover appeal to independents and Democrats.”

A recent USA Today/Gallup Poll showed Barack Obama ahead of McCain, 48%-36% among independents – the group that usually decides elections.

Instead of reaching out to disaffected supporters of Hillary Clinton – a failed effort – McCain’s first general election commercial spotlighted his military background, rather than his political independence.

With no consistent or catchy message yet emerging McCain struggles to avoid being tagged as a new version of hapless Bob Dole in 1996.

Quote of the Day

“Yeah, I don’t do cowering.” – Obama, responding to a Rolling Stone question about how he might respond to harsh attacks in the past from Republicans that Democrats have “cowered.”

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