McCain's Outreach Tour

Slate.com ^ | April 10th, 2008 | McCain's Outreach Tour

[The_Republican]

How many points do you get for just showing up? John McCain will get an idea at the end of the month when he travels to venues where Republicans don't usually campaign. McCain is planning to speak in inner cities, heavily African-American sections of the South, and poor sections of Appalachia. Most of his stops will be in areas where voters have traditionally supported Democrats.

How many points do you get for just showing up? John McCain will get an idea at the end of the month when he travels to venues where Republicans don't usually campaign. McCain is planning to speak in inner cities, heavily African-American sections of the South, and poor sections of Appalachia. Most of his stops will be in areas where voters have traditionally supported Democrats.

McCain's strategists are mapping the tour—and his campaign—on the theory that even if voters disagree with McCain, they come away with a favorable gut-level sense of his character when they get to see him up close. With this tour, McCain is hoping not so much that the people in the hall fall for him as that the cameras capturing the event can convey some of his appeal to independents across the country.

McCain is doing events like this tour out of necessity, too. While the press is focused on the Democratic race, this helps bring McCain attention. The press likes Republicans-doing-unorthodox-things stories, and McCain likes to see himself reflected back as a maverick in their coverage.

The tour also appeals to McCain's strong suit. His better qualities are more likely to come out in a high-risk setting, where he exchanges views with sometimes hostile voters, than in the deadening policy speech told before the beaming faces of GOP stalwarts.

[The_Republican]

Some edits to keep it under 300 words.

This is a BRILLIANT and NEEDED strategy. Republicans MUST reach out to ALL groups even if the reward is angry slogans, heckling and boos. This opens door to future Republicans to follow McCAin's lead and reach out to every American irrespective of results.

Reagan coalition is dwindling. America is changing and only way to form a Majority coalition is to expand personal and party horizons.

Future Republican generations would be greatful for McCain for blazing these new trails!

Go Mac Go!!!

[DoughtyOne]

Why not reach out to the inner city blacks. He’s not reaching out to us, and he needs to get votes somewhere.

Brilliant? No, desperation time.

Isn’t this just like John, always chumming it up with the democrats?

Like who didn’t see this coming. Next he’ll be picking out some case like Tiwanna Brawley so he can race bait the issue to get more votes. ;-)

[EternalVigilance]

even if voters disagree with McCain, they come away with a favorable gut-level sense of his character when they get to see him up close.

My "gut-level sense of his character" requires a double dose of this:

[The_Republican]

He is smart enough to know that you are not smart enough to accept him.

He knows he needs to win without your vote. He is not stupid enough to rely on you.

He can and WILL win. Obama can not carry Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan.

Feel free to continue to cry.

[DoughtyOne]

Only for the republic my dumb ass friend.

[The_Republican]

Go sit at home and brood only for the republic. Go join Obama or Hillary.

He will not pander to people who do not know their own best interest.

No one is begging you for your vote. Don’t vote for him. He can win without your vote.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Most of his stops will be in areas where voters have traditionally supported Democrats.

Stands to reason, given the candidate in question. ;)

[DoughtyOne]

Go sit at home and brood only for the republic. Go join Obama or Hillary.

Nay, if I'm not going to back McCain, why would I back Obama or Clinton?  You're the one that runs to the democrats among us.

He will not pander to people who do not know their own best interest.

It's not in my interest or the nation's interest to put a democrat(R) in the White House.  I want a Conservative(R) in there.  If that's not going to happen, sure let the democrat(D) have it.  At least we can band together as conservatives to oppose them.  You folks won't join us in that type of an effort against McCain.  You've already bailed on conservatism.  It isn't going to get better once McCain is in office. You'll just defend every democrat policy he proposes.  Not this guy.

No one is begging you for your vote. Don’t vote for him. He can win without your vote.

I'm sure he can.  He'll have you, others like you and a bunch of democrats jumping up and down with glee on November 4th.

It's the first time the Democrats will have had two candidates running against each other that I know of.

[DoughtyOne]

I’m only surprised he isn’t stopping at Kennebunkport.

[pallis]

Go for it John. Let us know how it works out for you. Maybe you can turn the Republican Party into something that appeals to all Democrats.

[The_Republican]

Yeah - nothing is more dangerous to Conservative movement than John McCain. Not even proven traitors and marxist taking over Presidency.

Thanks for looking out for the Republic. LOL!

[LegendHasIt]

Lindsey? Is that you?

Nah, More like the Stepford wife, Cindy
;-)

[The_Republican]

I wish I was a tall atheletic blonde heiress with classic model’s features.

Too bad it wasn’t meant to be. Damnit.

[Marie2]

I must agree with you. I don’t like to see Repubs writing off big “sections” of voters. People are individuals, and presidential contests are won by narrow margins.

Maybe, towards the end, focus on the most easily swayed. But this early in the campaign, ask for EVERYONE’s vote.

[sinanju]

Thomas Sowell pointed out earlier today (in view of his MLK day mea culpa) that McCain is doing the usual idiot RINO approach to blacks—trying to outpander and outgrovel the dems. The sort of patronizing approach that only whets the rage of liberal blacks and insults the intelligence of conservative blacks.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

I’m only surprised he isn’t stopping at Kennebunkport.

No need. Fat Teddy already has Juan so docile and well-trained, they only need to touch base via a quick phone chat every few weeks or so.

[The_Republican]

Reaching out is NOT pandering. Only McCain has COURAGE to say to Americans to let MARKET decide course of events. Every other socialist commie loser is handing out HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS to Wall Street and Many more to thugs and morons who can’t manage their own finances.

That is COURAGE not Pandering. Panderes are Hildabeast and Obambi - promising to pay your mortage.

Only McCain tell truth about war in Iraq and WOT in general. All others are there to tell people we would just rush the troops back.

That is Courage.

Sowell must be afraid that if more Blacks join Republican party, he won’t be such a novelty anymore.

[tgslTakoma]

He will not pander to people who do not know their own best interest.

Well, according to your article, it looks like he is going to pander for the liberal vote.

No one is begging you for your vote. Don’t vote for him. He can win without your vote.

If McCain shares your attitude towards conservative Republicans of, "we can win without your vote," he may be in for a big disappointment come November 4th. And why do you think a liberal 'Rat vote would abandon a liberal 'Rat candidate for a liberal Republican candidate?

Oh, and if you are so sure that McCain can win without the conservative vote, why are you posting threads here on FR trying to convince conservatives to vote for him?

[The_Republican]

Only mcCain has requested 0 Dollars for Earmarks. Between two of them, Obama and Hillary have asked for about 400 million dollars.

That is BUYING vote.

Get your facts straight before buying into HATRED that talk radio verbahideen morons and others heap on him.

[DoughtyOne]

This has been the discussion all year and so far the following hasn't occured to you.

1. Does the RNC move farther left or right when McCain is in the White House?

2. Do the Republicans in Congress move farther right or left with McCain in the White House?

3. Do the state level Republicans move farther right or left with McCain in the White House?

4. Do local Republican officials move farther right or left with McCain in the White House?


1.  If McCain wins without conservatives, without running on a conservative platform, and rules from the left, why would the RNC fight him?  Instead the RNC will embrace him and discourage any Republicans from opposing him.  John will have essentially turned the RNC into a sister organization of the DNC.  To me, that's a big shift to the left.  John has taken the democrat position on so many issues, it's hard to distinguish him from a democrat.  And this is the agenda the RNC will adopt to consolidate and retain power.  Do you see that helping conservatism?

2. If members of the House and Senate want access to the White House, support for their projects or legislation, they will have to reach out to McCain, not the other way around.  They will not be able to oppose him on every issue.  Instead they will be motivated to move toward the left.  New candidates for national office will campaign from the left.  John will have proven that is a winning strategy.  Do you see any of this helping conservatism?

3. State level Republicans who wish to aspire to national office, or even to remain in state level office will see that McCain won from the left.  They're not going to embrace the right.  New candidates for state office will run from the left.  Does this help conservatism.  McCain has already developed a friend in California that was the CEO of eBay.  She has only donated to liberal democrats in California and is currently registered as an Independent.  McCain has encouraged her to run for Governor in California as a Republican.  This is more of the kind of help John is going to be offering across this nation, moving liberals into the Republican seats.

4. Once the federal and state level governments have gone left, where do local leaders get support if they are conservative?  There won't be any conservatives at state or federal levels of government, and shortly there won't be any at the local level either.  Does this strengthen conservatism.

You laugh at my premise, but it would be impossible for Clinton or Obama to so completely root out conservatives and replace them with liberals.  John McCain will be in the perfect place to do so, and he has already demonstrated he is so inclined.

Under a McCain Presidency, who offers up conservative legislation and passes it?  And who signs off on it with McCain in the White House?

Your vote for McCain, if he wins, will be the death of conservatism in practice.  It will only be a theory after that.