2008 Woodie Awards
No more maverick
By: Reid Geyer
Issue date: 10/3/08 Section: Opinion
"It was all very dramatic, but maybe the American public is tired of drama after the last eight years. John needs to demonstrate he has a steady hand. He needs to be a bit more measured." - John Weaver
Former McCain campaign manager John Weaver is only the most recent voice in the growing chorus of those dissatisfied with the way the McCain campaign has turned out after last Friday's suspension stunt. The chorus isn't against negative advertising, attacks or even that McCain has changed his position on certain issues. The problem is that it is impossible to tell who exactly John McCain is and what he stands for. A former admirer and biographer of the Senator wrote in a Politico piece two weeks ago that "McCain's recent conduct of his campaign…has reinforced my earlier, and growing, sense that John McCain is not a principled man. In fact, it's not clear who he is."
I have to admit it: I'm starting to agree.
The four years after his harsh presidential loss in 2000 showed McCain as one who was willing to put aside partisanship for what he believed was right. He co-sponsored the McCain-Feingold Act that limited money's influence on campaigns and helped to start the 9/11 Commission to help assign blame. He opposed the Bush tax cuts, claiming they were morally wrong and was one of the first critics of Donald Rumsfeld's handling of the War in Iraq.
At the time he was addressing the crowd at the 2004 Republican National Convention, McCain had the highest popularity rate of any national politician. Rumors circulated during this time that he was considered for the Democratic VP slot and Ted Kennedy came by his office many times to try and convince him to change parties. But like the popular girl before prom, McCain turned down all of these offers. Although he did go on to work on an immigration bill with Senator Kennedy, it wasn't long before the controversial plan was shut down.
My favorite "McCain the Maverick" story is the time that Bush was fighting to keep torture as part of the CIA routine, despite staunch opposition from Congress. McCain directly took on the White House saying "I don't know how you protect your life by torturing somebody. I've never understood that scenario," and after a private meeting with the President, Bush came out with a changed mind. To me, McCain was the ideal political hero: someone who fought from a strong moral conviction despite the issue's unpopularity. While I didn't always agree him, I knew where he stood and knew that he would always fight for it.
Former McCain campaign manager John Weaver is only the most recent voice in the growing chorus of those dissatisfied with the way the McCain campaign has turned out after last Friday's suspension stunt. The chorus isn't against negative advertising, attacks or even that McCain has changed his position on certain issues. The problem is that it is impossible to tell who exactly John McCain is and what he stands for. A former admirer and biographer of the Senator wrote in a Politico piece two weeks ago that "McCain's recent conduct of his campaign…has reinforced my earlier, and growing, sense that John McCain is not a principled man. In fact, it's not clear who he is."
I have to admit it: I'm starting to agree.
The four years after his harsh presidential loss in 2000 showed McCain as one who was willing to put aside partisanship for what he believed was right. He co-sponsored the McCain-Feingold Act that limited money's influence on campaigns and helped to start the 9/11 Commission to help assign blame. He opposed the Bush tax cuts, claiming they were morally wrong and was one of the first critics of Donald Rumsfeld's handling of the War in Iraq.
At the time he was addressing the crowd at the 2004 Republican National Convention, McCain had the highest popularity rate of any national politician. Rumors circulated during this time that he was considered for the Democratic VP slot and Ted Kennedy came by his office many times to try and convince him to change parties. But like the popular girl before prom, McCain turned down all of these offers. Although he did go on to work on an immigration bill with Senator Kennedy, it wasn't long before the controversial plan was shut down.
My favorite "McCain the Maverick" story is the time that Bush was fighting to keep torture as part of the CIA routine, despite staunch opposition from Congress. McCain directly took on the White House saying "I don't know how you protect your life by torturing somebody. I've never understood that scenario," and after a private meeting with the President, Bush came out with a changed mind. To me, McCain was the ideal political hero: someone who fought from a strong moral conviction despite the issue's unpopularity. While I didn't always agree him, I knew where he stood and knew that he would always fight for it.
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N Y Mag
posted 10/08/08 @ 8:37 AM EST
I liked your article so much I copied it!
See it at http://nymag.com/news/politics/powergrid/51016/
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