Just before Senator McCain’s series of victories on “Tsunami Tuesday” last month, I wrote, he “seems to take the race for granted when he’s ahead.” At the time, I observed that he ran a “lackluster” campaign when the MSM considered him the GOP frontrunner.
Now a string of polls show him to be the frontrunner for the fall elections. This success has caused Roger Simon to wonder if McCain is peaking too soon. (Roger’s February 14 “suspicion” that “Obama my have peaked too soon” appears now to have been quite prescient.)
My concern is not that the GOP presidential nominee has peaked, but that he may take his lead for granted and run a classic frontrunner campaign. This could work to his detriment given that the MSM is determined to defeat him and the Clinton record of campaign ruthlessness should New York’s junior Senator find a way to secure her party’s nod.
While a recent Gallup poll showed the Arizona leading (or tying) both of his Democratic rivals on “Character and Quality Dimensions,” he falls significantly behind Hillary on one issue, having a clear plan for solving the country’s problems and behind both Democrats on understanding the problems Americans face in their daily lives.
Let’s hope that Senator McCain moves to hold — and build on — his lead by addressing those two issues. His plans to hold a series of townhall meetings across the country is a good start. I would also suggest delivering major policy addresses on issues not normally deemed his “bailiwick” like the economy and government reform. Perhaps, to schedule those speeches in states at the time of their presidential primaries.
well, if he should lose the election come November, I’m sure you’ll chalk it up to the ever evil MSM and a bad PR machine.
I certainly understand the need for John McCain to not become cocky (or even just merely complacent). Â And of course, the same holds true for his supporters. Â Even so, I do think Obama and McCain have some important differences with regard to "peaking too early." Â Sen. Obama has only recently become known to people. Â We are continually learning new things about him, some good, and some not so good. Â And I think that when you try to be all things to all people, it doesn’t really help when people get to know you better. Â People can assume all the good things about someone they want to assume when that person is a good orator and a charismatic figure, and Sen. Obama has up until now benefited from people’s favorable assumptions. Â As we are started to see though, Sen. Obama won’t be able to please everyone. Â He won’t seem like such a uniting figure when moderates and especially conservative admirers of him become more aware of his liberal stances on pretty much everything. Â When people look for substance behind Sen. Obama’s apparent bipartisanship, it’s really not there.
Contrast all this with Sen. McCain. Â Even back in 2000, he was by no means an unknown. Â Now we know him even better. Â Whether he comes down on my side of an issue or not, is there ever really any surprises with him? Â I don’t think so. Â You can take him or leave him; either way, you know what you’re getting with him. Â People have pretty much made up their minds on him, and in most cases, it’s quite a favorable opinion. Â Certainly, it’s more favorable than the average person’s opinion of Sen. Clinton, and as people learn more about Sen. Obama, Sen. McCain is gaining the edge there too. Â And unlike Sen. Obama, Sen. McCain actually has a real record of bipartisanship. Â (If anything, his bipartisanship is too real.)
As for the press turning on Sen. McCain, I think people understand that he is partly the creation of his own principles and virtues and partly the creation of a cynical media looking for a prominent Republican they could exploit for their own partisan objectives. Â I have no doubt that Sen. McCain’s principles and virtues will keep him the same person we know him to be, someone who can be pretty annoying and stubborn but who has, on the whole, proven he is worthy of respect and trust, at least when compared to the alternative. Â Is there a hidden scandal of his that the Democrats and their friends in the press can use against him? Â Anything is possible, but I highly doubt it. Â And when the Dems and the press attack him without substance, people will see through them. Â I don’t believe people will forget that the press has adored him for so long that they won’t see what’s going on when the press turns on him. Â Sen. McCain can and will win a war with the press over who is more trustworthy.
Sen. McCain does best when he’s under attack. Â My fear is not so much that he’ll be attacked; it’s that he won’t. Â If the Dems and their allies in the press were smart, they’d lay off him. Â But they probably won’t be able to help themselves, and it will cost them.
#1
Or the usual illegal liberal election shenanigans.
#3 – Right on, TGC. Don’t forget the events surrounding the libtards’ "thought-crime" voting issue in Cuyahoga County, Ohio.
Dhimmicrats messed with GOP primaries in 2000 and 2004 and the MSM gave them a free pass. When the tables are turned in 2008, they scream "unfair" at every given opportunity.
What a bunch of infants.
Regards,
Peter H.