New McCain Line: Obama = Carter

Yesterday, in an interview with NBC's Brian Williams, John McCain introduced a historical analogy that he obviously hopes will be as sticky as McCain = Bush. "Sen. Obama says that I'm running for a Bush's third term. It seems to me he's running for Jimmy Carter's second," he said. "I think this — election is about change, Brian. I think it's the right kind of change versus the wrong kind of change. Sen. Obama wants to dust off the old big government, high taxes ideas of the 60s and 70s that failed then."

First of all, as I've said before, I don't see how McCain wins when the argument for his candidacy is fundamentally a defensive one. To paraphrase McCain, he's saying, "I accept Sen. Obama's terms for this election; it is about change. And even though he's become synonymous with change, I believe I'm the better kind of change." That's weak. And not likely to be effective.

And neither is this Carter analogy. People obviously associate certain things with Carter that McCain wants people associating with Obama. Smart but weak. Unable to deal with high gas prices, a struggling economy, or trouble in the middle east. I get that. But Carter took office more than 30 years ago. As MSNBC's First Read points out, no one who is under 50 today was eligible to vote when Carter first won election. Doesn't this just cement the idea that McCain is stuck in the past, and still sees the world in outdated terms?

Comments

"Doesn't this just cement the idea that McCain is stuck in the past, and still sees the world in outdated terms?"

I imagine the younger voters can't relate. McSame might as well compare Barack to Millard Fillmore.

He is also lost on the "change" thing being good or bad - change is something different and a risk but after two terms of Bush, the Iraq occupation failure and $4 a gallon gas "change" is a risk worth taking.

Posted by: capt on 06/10/08 at 9:25 AM Respond

Can't we just elect Reagan again?

Posted by: kirkbrew on 06/10/08 at 10:21 AM Respond

I think McCain is also missing that many of those of us who were too young to vote Carter, look back on him as being somewhat prophetic in his calls to conserve energy. Nowadays "smart but weak" is a lot more attractive than "mighty stupid." There isn't a single thing out there we can blow up that's going to solve even one of our myriad problems.

Posted by: bacon on 06/10/08 at 10:35 AM Respond

Geez, McCain is the one who has caused himself to be called McBush --- by his own actions -- looking up to Bush, wanting to be like Bush or as good as Bush and constantly standing by Bush, against the people, in all that Bush is doing or has done.

Obama will have his hands full dealing with 8 years of George W. Bush's total failure as a president of the United States.

President Obama should not feel demeaned to be called Carter as President Carter has been a wonderful peace diplomat and negotiator for the United States. The 1st and only Middle East negotiated "peace agreement" was done by President Carter, who negotiated peace in the Middle East with Egypt.

I can see why warmongering McBush would try to demean President Carter, since President Carter is not a war mongerer for private industry like McCain's namesake, George W. Bush.

Obama is strong, diplomatic and NOT a private war mongerer like George W. Bush. It is for certain President Obama will NOT be like George W. Bush in any way, while McBush will be McSame. Hopefully, President Obama will be somewhat like President Carter; if so, I would not be disappointed.

McBush is McCain = More of the same.

Posted by: MarthaA on 06/10/08 at 10:56 AM Respond