Why John McCain is Not 'The One'

[James Myers]

"You've got statistics that say we've lost another 50,000 jobs, that Florida is in a recession for the first time in a decade and a half, and what was being talked about was Paris and Britney," Obama said. "They're clever on creating distractions from the issues that really matter in people's lives."

"We face serious issues in this election and have real differences," he said. "I'm not going to assault Sen. McCain's character, I'm not going to compare him to pop stars. I will, however, compare our two visions for our economic future."

Why John McCain is Not the One
By James Myers
The Entertainment Critic


There have been no less that 3 attack ads this week from the McCain Campaign. These have occurred despite Senator McCain’s early promises that the campaign would be a clean campaign, and his wife’s statements that John would not run a dirty campaign. This all changed when last week the eyes of the world were on Barack Obama as he traveled overseas, cementing forever his ability to act and appear presidential in an international setting. ‘One issue John’ seeing that advantage slip away from him in international politics, has made a decided, nasty, and noteworthy change in direction. When McCain’s constant ‘surge’ talk began to loose traction, he took a large page or two form Karl Rove’s play book; when you cannot win on the issues, question character. Severely question character. Don’t let Obama take center stage when he discusses the economy as he did today in Florida or energy and off shore drilling. Take him off message and let’s see how he does.

In response to the tremendous USA television audience Barack had on his overseas trip, the first ad concerned an alleged slight by Senator Obama due to his failure to meet with the troops on his trip due to no television cameras. This act was retracted as false, and immediately disowned by the candidate. Distracting and noise to prevent the message from coming through nonetheless. After all, this is Senator Obama’s time to introduce himself to the country. If the ads keep him from becoming known, maybe McBush can gain a little ground. (By the way, Olbermann on ‘Countdown’ reported that 2 ads were prepared; one for not spending time with the troops and one if he did. According to Keith, this method of attack has been in the works for a while.)

The second ad was the now famous ‘Celebrity Ad.’ I dealt with that one in the last blog. Suffice it to say, if this is the kind of leadership that John McCain will bring to the Presidency, then let’s send him back to Arizona, and he can deal with his own state electorate and their objections to his feelings on affirmative action among the host of other quirks he has.

The third ad is not even called an ad, but an internet video by his camp. It is called ‘I’m The One,’ and compares Barack to Moses, and make light of a parallel of being chosen to save us, kinda like Christ. It is complete with Charlton Heston parting the Red Sea. When the incredible arrogant, condescending nature of this ad was pointed out to Mr. McCain, he brushed it off as just a ‘joke.’ We were told to lighten up. It was just ‘humor.’ I’m not laughing, John. There is a lot going on here that we’ve heard before and after 8 years of this jokin’ around with Bush, the cute fraternity You Tube Vids just aren’t funny any more.

The timing of the ‘Moses Ad’ is particularly suspect. McCain made a very important speech this morning to a crowd that could have been hostile to him, The Urban League. McCain handled it fairly well and was treated respectfully, but he still had his share of ‘McGaffs’ to deal with.

• Several voters in the mainly African American audience questioned why McCain and his aides charged Barack Obama, Thursday with playing "the race card" by saying some Republicans are trying to deter voters from supporting him by suggesting he's different from traditional presidential candidates.

• Bruce Williams, a marketing executive from Virginia Beach, Va., said McCain's attacks on Obama amount to "side issues" that fail to address the country's pressing needs.

"We've got five hundred thousand people without jobs. We've got two million foreclosures," said Williams, a Democrat who supports Obama. "Game time's over. It's time to get real."

• Virginia Clarke, an executive recruiter from Chicago who knows Obama personally and has donated to his campaign, said she was "saddened" by McCain saying his opponent was capitalizing on his race.

"To make an observation about oneself, about one's race, it's not necessarily creating an unfair advantage," Clarke said, adding that McCain's accusation "seems like a cheap shot, seems like pandering."

• Asked why he has decided to back a ballot initiative in Arizona that would repeal affirmative action programs, McCain replied, "Affirmative action is in the eye of the beholder.... Americans reject a quota system. That is a system that does not help anyone and has not helped anyone."

When McCain added, "The best equal opportunity employer in America is the United States military," the audience started to laugh, visibly uncomfortable with the idea that blacks would have to enlist in order to receive equal treatment.

• At another point, McCain parried with a questioner who questioned the value of charter schools and quoted the singer James Brown as he demanded how the senator would provide greater opportunity for African-Americans. "We want to know, what doors are you opening up to allow all of us to function like adults?" the questioner asked. "As the godfather James Brown says, 'Open up the door so we can get it ourselves!'"

"With all due respect, I do have an idea of what it's like to be deprived of your rights," McCain retorted, adding that charter schools in New Orleans were working. "Those charter schools are succeeding. That's just a fact."

"The answer is not charter schools," the man replied. "We're saying open up America because we are Americans." The crowd clapped in approval.

• McCain also explained in blunt terms when he disagreed with audience members: when one woman asked whether he saw health care coverage as "a basic human right for all Americans," he replied that he would make health care "affordable and available" without guaranteeing it.

"I don't believe in government-run health care systems," he added. "I will oppose it with everything I have in me."

• When asked why he opposed the creation of a federal holiday to honor Martin Luther King Jr. -- "Because I was wrong," he said -- he had no answer for why a few years later he opposed federal funding for the holiday. "Was that a second mistake?" the questioner asked.

"I'd have to find out what the bill was," McCain said, pausing. "Nineteen eighty-nine, that was nineteen years ago. I'm proud of my work to ensure equal opportunity for all Americans... That's my job, that's my vocation, that's my mission as president of the United States."

(Please note that these quotations and reporting of the remarks come from Juliet Eilperin’s article, “McCain’s Race Comments an Issue at Urban League”).

Could it be that the third ad was to distract us from these horribly inconsistent positions McCain has taken over the years, so the American Public would be thinking about ‘Moses’ and not about McGaff McCain? A distraction from issues his campaign knew in advance he could not answer? More importantly, Barack gave a very important speech today on Energy, where he spoke about resolving the energy crisis and some possible limited off shore drilling under the right circumstances. ‘Moses’ is getting less and less funny all the time, John.

More importantly, there is a pattern that I detect, and I’ll be many of you have seen it too. Since Barack became the presumptive nominee of the Democratic Party, McCain had adopted a condescending, mocking, disrespectful tone towards Senator Obama. These recent antics, tactics and misdirections are just an outgrowth of that. There has always been an unseemly level of disrespect towards Obama; condescension that is cold and calculated, bordering on outright racism.

Let’s have joint town hall meetings, and I’ll show you who can talk to people. Let’s go to Iraq so I can ‘educate’ you about the military works. This is a deliberate effort to tilt the table; to trivialize Barack’s accomplishments, and his candidacy. To mock and make little of his incredible success as a Democratic candidate who has garner more votes than any other candidate in the party’s history. More than Kennedy. More than Roosevelt. More than Bill Clinton. A man who has mobilized the youth of our country and raised more money than any one else in American Elective history, and done so primarily from the little guy. McCain has all but said that Obama does not have his experience and the accumulated record to be respected as a real opponent for President of the United States. He has all but said what he really thinks; Senator Obama should not be in such a position where he is running for President.

It’s not a joke, it is a malicious confusion. McCain knows he cannot win on the issues, so he must win by besmurging character, attacking personality, ‘swift boating.’ He must shift the focus from the issues, like the economy, to whether or not Barack has the character to be President. He must keep us from getting to know the unknown and make us afraid of it. The fact that 51,000 jobs were lost this month or the housing crisis has gotten worse, or that the CDC has understated the number of HIV infections in our country is of little concern. Did you see the Reuters’ article, “Economic models predict clear Obama win in November?” The article says, “Economic models that have correctly predicted the winner of almost all post-war U.S. presidential elections say recession fears will secure a victory for Barack Obama in November.” Does this explain why McCain cannot talk about the issues? Why on a day when Barack speaks of the economy, McFlap must garble the message? If this holds true, then all McCain has left is this diversion, which Barack referred today. ("I think they're cynical," he said. "And I think they want to distract people from talking about the real issues.") In other words, they can shell out crap, but they cannot govern. ("They're very good at negative campaigning. They're not so good at governing."). I do think this points out the obvious; John McCain is not the one. And he’s half way got one thing right; Barack is.