John McCain Speaks in New Orleans, Poorly

McCain was in New Orleans tonight making his historically laughable "I'm not George W. Bush" speech.

He opened with a relatively transparent play for disaffected Hillary Clinton voters. He said: 1) she didn't get treated with the respect she deserved by the media and the Obama campaign; 2) she is an inspiration to his daughters; 3) he is proud to call her his friend. I wonder if he'll repeat this line on the campaign trail; even if he does, he'll never have a microphone as loud as the one he had tonight.

But none of that is going to undo the fact that McCain is a pretty awful public speaker. His voice is basically a monotone, his pauses are unnatural, and the audience applauds awkwardly. And it's not just his style. Today, his central message was essentially a defensive one — "this is a change election, but there is the right kind of change and the wrong kind of change" — and when that's the case, you're in serious trouble, methinks.

McCain attacked Obama repeatedly today — using the standard conservative attacks on liberals. Senator Obama wants to take your money and let the government decide how to run your lives. My approach trusts in the common sense of the American people. After every attack, McCain stuck a forced grin on his face and said, "That's not change we can believe in." Applause was, as I've mentioned before, awkward.

And before he could finish CNN cut him off to announce that Obama had secured the delegates needed for the Democratic nomination, reinforcing just how much this is Obama's night.

Update: I should have linked to my April blog post on John McCain's miserable record on Hurricane Katrina.

Comments

It amazes me that McCain claims that Senator Clinton is an inspiration to his daughters, yet when a supporter called her a "bitch," he laughed.

What message does he think that send to his daughters?

Posted by: Noticed on 06/03/08 at 9:00 PM Respond

One has to wonder what strategy Team McCain has for what passes as Presidential Debates against Obama.

Maybe he just calls in sick.

Posted by: Egalitare on 06/03/08 at 10:33 PM Respond

This is just more superficial fluff from both McCain and MotherJones, no discussion of real issues, just how he came off, his style, or how he appeared, etc. etc. Disgusting, all the way around.

Posted by: John McCarroll on 06/04/08 at 7:54 AM Respond

John McCarroll:

You are right. McCain is disgusting all the way around.

Posted by: MarthaA on 06/04/08 at 8:10 AM Respond

"but there is the right kind of change and the wrong kind of change"

I think it's a good angle that he'll pursue throughout his campaign against Obama.

Yes, it's kinda defensive, but Obama's "Change" foundation is something he has to destroy, if he fancies his chances of winning. It's basically what won Obama the primaries. McCain can't ignore it, can't dodge it. He needs to spin this.

Obama has the momentum, and advantage. It's strategically sound for McCain to move in to neutralise it. Especially since he's not capable of coming up with an alternative constructive manta that can top that.

Posted by: raphael ryan on 06/04/08 at 8:25 AM Respond

Funniest part is he was in Kenner Louisiana not New Orleans.

Posted by: Pathman25 on 06/04/08 at 8:43 AM Respond

It felt really this morning to tell the Times Picayune to cancel my subscription. As you may already know, the TP endorsed Obama for President.
http://www.nola.com/elections/index.ssf/2008/10/our_recommendation_barack_obam.html

This decision:
- send a messages about their endorsement for President
- saves a few trees in the future (Now I'm a true environmentalist)
- they just raised the rates to $13 to $16/month, so I now save this annual expense
- and keeps me from spending $30 every time I receive a .50 cent coupon on Sundays

Looks like I win all around. The Times Picayune post their articles online, so there is no need to waste your money and support such a liberal media anyway. If there a a special day when something is released and you want a copy of that days paper, you can go to any news stand, Walgreens or supermarket to pick it up.

Stop supporting the newspaper. Spread the word to have everyone cancel their subscriptions.

Jody

Posted by: Jody Connor on 10/29/08 at 6:20 PM Respond