At a Republican National Convention that threatened to be overtaken by Hurricane Gustav and a surprise vice presidential pick, John McCain finally owned his convention.
In the build-up to his appearance, it didn’t help that his own wife, Cindy, described her husband’s running mate in Daniel Boone-like mythic proportions: “a reform-minded, hockey-mommin’, basketball-shootin’, moose-huntin’, fly-fishin’, pistol-packing mother of five.”
McCain, a man who speaks better without a text and more passionately on the subject of others, was asked to tell his own heroic story, again. The stories of both parties’ candidates are now so well-known that they have passed into legend. This may be the first presidential contest between two best-selling memoirists.
In the last hour of a convention that spread out over three days and change, the nominee, in his acceptance speech, finally spoke about what he would do in his presidency, not solely about the greatness of the country and the evil of the terrorists.
Though Republican operatives have set this up as a battle between Western candidates of action and achievement versus Washington insiders of words, the Republican gathering in St. Paul was huge on platitudes about the country and honor and McCain’s heroic struggle in Vietnam, and relatively short on a specific plan of action.
In his 50-minute speech, McCain dropped his trademark “my friends” six times. He finally referred to the elephant in the room, mentioning economic “hard times” on a day the Dow has plummeted almost 355 points. The issue of health care was addressed in a solitary sentence. The environment wasn’t even accorded that.
The greatest difference between the two conventions was how they viewed Americans’ worries. For the Republicans, the fear was all about the nation being harmed and evil that lurks abroad. For the Democrats, the fear was all about the economy, losing jobs, health care and homes. The real test will be which fears weigh more profoundly on the electorate.
McCain, who has served in the U.S. Senate for more than two decades, is running as an outsider. He delivered a speech that made it seem as if a party other than his own has been governing the nation for the past eight years.
He mentioned the president once, and not by name. The name of the vice president, arguably the most powerful in history, was never uttered during an evening speech. Number of times Osama Bin Laden’s face was shown: Once. Number of times Dick Cheney’s was displayed: Zero.
“We need to change the way government does almost everything,” McCain said, adding, “We’re going to finally start getting things done for the people who are counting on us.”
In the introductory video, in the most surprising turn of the evening, the phrase that was cited as summing up John McCain was not the oft-used maverick but “mama’s boy.”
It’s not every 72-year-old presidential candidate that can still call himself that and shout out to his 96-year-old mother in the crowd.
Another surprise was the grace of Cindy McCain’s speech. Over the years, she’s been a constant but relatively silent campaign partner. Thursday evening showed that she is an effective force in delivering her husband’s message.
At a convention that celebrated faith and God, the speeches of both McCain and his wife were relatively free of religious references, drawing more on service, charity, character and experience. McCain was gracious in his references to Barack Obama and
downright civil in mentioning the Democratic party. He’s waited a long time for this moment, and clearly was relishing the achievement.
The night ended with the customary balloon drop, a tradition that was skipped at the Democratic gathering last week due to Obama’s stadium acceptance speech. In Denver, the Democrats had rock stars and fireworks. The Republicans didn’t have any rock stars serenade the candidate but made sure the night and convention ended in a blizzard of balloons and streamers. Not to be outdone, a virtual fusillade of fireworks appeared on the giant monitor behind McCain, Palin and their families.
Now, the campaign begins anew. Sixty days to election day and counting.
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Those of us who could not bring ourselves to watch would not have an insightful view of what transpired during this week's convention without you, Karen. (I kept talking back to the tv during the few minutes I tried to tune in, and my choice of adjectives wasn't kind.) To work for the change we so desperately need, we have to know what we're up against. Thanks for watching what was too hideous to bear.— candance- The first comment here is abuse. It has no connection to the subject matter and calls for the writer's death. Why 6 hours later after multiple reports is it still up? Yes, please delete this comment also after you do your job. There is no other way on this website to communicate with the people in charge. Thank you.— stimguy
- I really don't understand the issues that the first poster has. This seems like a pretty objective description of the speech.— jfar86
- It was a snoozer, heckeled in the background, and the incessant chants, ohhhh please give me a group of diverse thinkers not this parade of money grubbing thieves the repugs are promising....— hejira33312
- we need a regime change. this is the old regime. http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2008/09/ see if ya can distinguish bush from palin. a party of liars, hoping you're ignorant and gullible.— glenbc
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- McCain has turned this election into a soap opera about Sarah Palin and her family. Is this what we need to be talking about during these critical times when people are losing their jobs, their homes, and soldiers are losing their lives? Why is it that we are forced to deal with a hockey mom and her problems that can fill the National Enquirer ten times over? McCain clearly has contempt for the electoral process and the American people deserve so much more.— jefflz
- I agree with everything jefflz sez. Why are the GOP talking about change, they represent the status quo. They talk about the Washington elite, but Bush/Cheney/McSame are the Washington elite. They are essentially running against themselves. And I can't stand the constant attacks on the media that seeps from this party. Thank God we have the media to be the watchdog of our democracy (OK, they dropped the ball at the onset of the wrong war in Iraq). But I do think we need Congress to investigate the "yellow" journalism and outright lies of the far right wacko end of the media. News and opinion need to be more clearly separated.— ricky11211
- A Snoozer speech. This election is apparently all about I, I, I (Mccain). Nothing about what he would do to improve the economy, the job losses, nothing about helping veterans - some who are also losing their homes. One plan mentioned - more war, probably with Iran. Yeah, that's what the US needs right now - more war.— pal
- McCain is as dirty as they come, lets look at what he did to the native American tribes when he raped their lands and poisoned their water all for cash from Peabody energy. Ask him to give back the money from Mr Howard of Mississippi CEO of Howard Industies, just raided after employing 600 migrant workers after the company got 31.5 million from the state to expand to grow jobs ( which is unspent and unaccounted) Mr. McCain is as dirty as they come and the price tag only gets higher if him and his kooky gal pal get elected. Wake up people, do your homework!— hejira33312
- Thank you for your eloquent assessment of the difference between the Republican and the Democratic Conventions. Also, the delegates at the Republican Convention were almost all white...the lack of diversity was astounding to me.— lunarella
12 comments
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