Where is McCain's message?

The Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW ^ | Sunday, August 3, 2008 | Salena Zito

[Salena Zito]

An old political adage says, "He who sets the debate wins the election." If the presidential election was held tomorrow, it would be hello President Barack Obama because, so far, John McCain is handing him a victory.

McCain is better than the campaign he has run so far. Most people admit that McCain is an inspirational figure -- even Obama has admitted that -- so why isn't McCain telling voters where he wants to lead them?

[kabar]

McCain’s only hope for victory is to make Obama the issue.

[TomGuy]

do you really want obama redistributing your money to po’ folks?

One economic analyst on FoxNews a couple of weeks ago showed very little different in the amounts of spending an Obama or a McCain would do, based on their campaign promises.

After 8 years of open-checkbook Republicanism, is it really going to matter which one writes the checks next? Both will be funding essentially the same porkbarrel coffers.

[TomGuy]

Let’s see, he wants to drill off the coast, he wants to keep the Bush tax cuts

Ironically, those first two are from the 'enlightened' McCain. He was again' both of 'em before he was for 'em.

Oh, but since he is a Republican, that is not a flipflop, or two.

[101voodoo]

Indeed McCain changed his position on coastal drilling but he had a legitimate reason to do so, escalating energy costs to consumers. As for the Bush tax cuts, he also has a valid reason for that change, it being the slowing economy and rising jobless rate.

These are valid and totally different then the Hussein changes based strictly on political expediency.

[ex-snook]

McCain’s message.

I have nothing to offer but fear itself.

[hosepipe]

McLaims problem: How do you PimP slap a black man whining for an Affirmative Action position hiding that he is a Marxist Operator when McLaim is himself a Socialist Operator.. with both being Globalists in character like George Bush...

Thats a real problem.. takes some rhetorical danceing around...

[Chode]

drill here/drill now and building 40+ new nuke plants is where part of his message is...

[italianquaker]

Good point

[GregH]

McCain’s message is
lower taxes,
drilling for oil,
securing America both at home and abroad,
Strong leadership.

The obambi’s supporters and the trolls here trying to divide conservative votes should try harder, McCain is doing well in this election campaign.

[DTogo]

McCain’s message is:
lower taxes, (recently wouldn’t pledge no new taxes)
drilling for oil, (maybe, but not in ANWR)
securing America both at home and abroad, (not on the Southern Border, prefers comprehensive Shamnesty)
Strong leadership (on moderate to Left-leaning issues like Global Warming - oh joy...)

[areukiddingme1]

Salena, that is a very good article and while I agree with several of your points I do disagree with others.

However, IMHO, John McCain is so much bigger than obama, you are absolutely correct in that assertion. But again, as we have been discussing now for over a week, we have to keep highlighting the fact that obama is just a celebrity — that is it — he is literally just a celebrity.

To real working American’s, Patriotic Conservative Americans, the kinds of people that live and work and pray and worship in the traditional red states of this country, celebrity is just that — its entertainment, it has no real value and it comes and it goes — most red staters assume that celebrities will wind up on their a$# eventually, somewhere in hollyweird and headed to rehab — no one really holds them it that high of regard — they are fun to watch and even equally as funny to listen to when they comment about anything in politics — you know, with all of their vast worldly knowledge and experience (sarc) — they are fun to laugh at.

Now take a man like John McCain, why isn’t he out there banging the drum about who he is and what he has done — because again, like much of the red staters that know anything at all about Honor, Courage, Commitment, Service, Sacrifice, and Integrity you simply don’t brag about yourself.

So, you allow your record to speak for itself — In Senator McCain’s case lets look at his record;

=> The son and grandson of distinguished Navy admirals, John McCain deeply values duty, honor and service of country. Naval Academy Graduate, 22-year career as a naval aviator.

=> His naval honors include the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

=> John McCain, first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona in 1982.

=> Elected to the United States Senate in 1986, after serving two terms in the U.S. House.

Those are the values that red state America will pay attention to when the time comes.

Go hang out at any small town VFW for an afternoon...you will hear the ground truth.

This is county fair season, go talk folks there...go to a NASCAR event...what you will see and what you will hear will convince you that there is no conceivable way obama gets elected president.

Because Americans don’t want anything to happened to the country that they love and revere.

American’s are funny people, they are generally slow to anger but will support and defend her when pushed hard enough and long enough, generally speaking.

When you compare what Mr. Barack “paris britney hussein” Obama, has to offer, all he has is 2.5 years in the U.S. Senate and a one week world tour — you simply cannot possibly compare the records. He is literally an empty suit, his resume would fit nicely and the back of his business card.

The majority of red staters sincerely believe obama is NOT qualified to be the Commander-in-Chief of the Worlds most exquisite all volunteer military ever assembled in the history of all mankind nor will that turn that kind of trust over to him — to see “if it might work out.”

Barrak has two character flaws that red state Americans are finally perceiving, he has no clue what he is getting himself into and many red state Americans are also coming to the reality that if he were elected — he thinks he could just call a time out or ask for a do over — and what red state Americans know is that there are no time outs, there are not do over’s — the man that is elected this November either gets it right and America is secure or he gets it wrong and we are screwed...

I wouldn’t trust Barrak Hussein Obama with my son’s bucket of soldiers — let alone the real thing.

While I’m not popping any corks on any bottles of champagne to celebrate John McCains victory — I am, cautiously optimistic that when the red state Americans get back off vacation the end of August, they will start paying closer attention and scrutinizing these two men...one man is a true celebrity (a flash in the pan) and one is clearly an American Patriot...God Bless America — always!

[GregH]

McCain is still streets ahead of your favourite obambi( or Hunter or Tancredo), he is a war hero, his message on Iraq is instrumental on winning the war there, his fiscal conservatism .. enough reasons to support McCain in this election campaign.

[Ulysse]

I find your relentless attacks on McCAIN only very suspiscious on your real motivations

[FrankR]

So, what would ms Zito have McCain do...do the teaberry shuffle out on stage, swagger around a with a $hit-eatin' grin and start popping off about "hope" and "change"?

Maybe he could find a few "fringe" friends with communist ties and leanings, or telling how much America should be damned.

I'm not a nut about McCain, but his MESSAGE is his many years of service to this country, both military and government. His ability to lead is not based on his relationship with rap artists or a mouthy wife.

If nothing else, McCain should be elected as a "place holder" to keep hussein away from the Supreme Court nominations coming up...if for nothing else.

Hussein doesn't have a message, he has a line of bull$hit that resonates with people who know jack $hit about politics and who thinks this election is American Idol.

[VRWC For Truth]

McLosers messsage: I’m a senile cussing Liberal Democrat who happens to have an (R) after his name.

[calcowgirl]

Most people admit that McCain is an inspirational figure -- even Obama has admitted that -- so why isn't McCain telling voters where he wants to lead them?

Multi-trillion dollar amnesty for God's children, fighting Global Warming with a multi-trillion dollar Cap-and-Trade scam, massive meddling with the economy, etc. He doesn't emphasize to voters where he wants to lead because conservatives wouldn't support him. His message is not inspiring, unless you're a liberal.

McCain bad. Obama bad. There is nothing to be inspired about. The sooner folks realize that the next 4 to 8 years are going to be about fighting against either one of these fools, the better chance we'll have of curtailing the destruction of our nation.

[Grunthor]

“Where is McCain’s message?”

“Vote for me, it’s my turn and besides, I’m not Obama”

[Grunthor]

“the other choice sux....”

....slightly more.

[Grunthor]

“trolls here trying to divide conservative votes should try harder”

When Juan McAmnesty got the nod, the division between REPUBLICANS and CONSERVATIVES to a large extent, began.

[calcowgirl]

Duncan Hunter is a nativist and NOT a conservative

"Nativist"?

What's your definition of "conservative"?