McCain was raw. It was, at once, his
charm and his fatal fl aw.
By the time McCain started to
engage fully in the campaign in
late summer, the massively funded
Obama juggernaut had achieved a
steadily increasing velocity. There
were chinks in the Democrats’ armor,
but McCain failed to exploit them.
The Republican campaign often
seemed directionless, unable to sus-
tain momentum, political watchers
note. McCain blundered badly at the
nadir of the Wall Street meltdown
and during the weeklong run-up
to the massive $700 billion federal
bailout package. He looked decid-
edly less than presidential shuttling
WINDOW CLOSED John McCain’s decision to side with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and
between airports while Democrats
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on the Wall Street bailout, instead of opposing it,
took control of, at least, the most
shed his maverick image and angered the public.
media-friendly aspects of the bailout.
With Obama and the Democrats
moved away from Ronald Reagan’s president’s approval rating hovered embracing the Wall Street bailout,
agenda. We need to return to lim- barely above 20 percent. McCain had his opening: He could
ited, competent government, and to “If we were a dog food, they’d oppose the deal and take the side of
listen and learn from our grass-roots take us off the shelf,” Republican Main Street, which had gotten short
leaders.” Congressional Campaign Committee shrift from Washington. But McCain,
Chairman Tom Davis said of the who had played the role of maver-
McCain’s Fatal Flaw damaged GOP brand. ick with his “Straight Talk Express,”
Many had hoped that McCain, the reverted to form, and joined hands
Perhaps one reason the self-styled maverick, could soften the with Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid in
Republicans lost the White House GOP image and attract broad support the bipartisan deal-making that has
was Sen. John McCain. from conservatives, moderates, and infuriated the public.
Pushed to compete with a young, independents. In reality, the choice By the time the bailout bill was
charismatic upstart of almost unprec- of McCain sealed the party’s fate. He approved, Obama seemed confi dent
edented popular- proved only marginally acceptable and unfl appable. McCain seemed
ity, the Republicans to the myriad forces at work in the confused and increasingly angry. By
nominated McCain, conservative spectrum. Worse, none October, when McCain fi nally began
the cantankerous of them fully embraced him; he had to harp on Obama’s weaknesses —
Arizona senator burned too many bridges earning his fundraising irregularities, nefarious
who had made his maverick credentials. He was seen connections, an economic plan laden
“
If we were
bones largely by as neither a true reformer nor a true with tax hikes, and spending increas-
GES
a dog food,
remaining at odds conservative, party watchers say. es — the battle was lost.
TY IMA
with his own con- Adding to his problems, John McCain “lost his
they’d take us servative colleagues the McCain campaign brand as a maverick,” says
Y
/
GET
TERL
off the shelf.
”
for three decades. devolved into a study in Rep. Chris Shays, R-Conn.,
It was a bold political ineptitude. The who entered the election
gambit, one destined to fail. former POW spent the as the last surviving GOP
To be fair, the GOP faced long early months of the cam- congressman in New
odds from the outset, with or without paign seemingly idle. He England.
Y
/
C
ONGRESSIONAL QUAR
McCain. The Republican presidency did little to reach out to Shays lost his seat. So
of George W. Bush staggered to the his former GOP adver- did many others in the
Y
AN KELL
2008 fi nish line dragging the chains saries. On the stump, he
REP. CHRIS SHAYS
GOP on Election Day.
Y
S
/R
of two unpopular wars, a reputation seemed stiff, unprepared, McCain lost to Democrat
for reckless spending, and a historic and, at times, argumentative. The Obama by 192 electoral votes and 6
economic collapse. The incumbent Democratic challenger was polished; million in the popular vote. States the AP IMAGES / SHA
and freedom are inseparable. You can’t have any one without the others. 10/15/1974 ++ Conservative thought
54
NEWSMAX / JANUARY 2009
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