My Two Cents on the McCain Speech

By: SW

We all know McCain is not an orator like Obama, and will not come close to what Palin did the night before. So the expectations were low. With that, I think he did an admirable job by speaking from the heart. Yet I cannot help but notice the contrasts with Obama’s I-Know-It-All style. This is my favorite line:

“I'm not running for president because I think I'm blessed with such personal greatness that history has anointed me to save our country in its hour of need. My country saved me. My country saved me, and I cannot forget it. And I will fight for her for as long as I draw breath, so help me God.”

How many presidential candidates will openly admit failures of his own party in an event like that? The way he presented the mistakes the Republicans made was not by pointing fingers at any targets, but by taking the blames collectively. Notice the “we” being mentioned repeatedly:

“We were elected to change Washington, and we let Washington change us. We lost the trust of the American people when some Republicans gave in to the temptations of corruption. We lost their trust when rather than reform government, both parties made it bigger. We lost their trust when instead of freeing ourselves from a dangerous dependence on foreign oil, both parties and Senator Obama passed another corporate welfare bill for oil companies. We lost their trust, when we valued our power over our principles. We're going to change that. “

Then he admitted that he had been an imperfect servant, but hasten to add that he is a servant “first, last and always”. The humility and servant’s attitude impressed me.

He seemed to be coming around on the drilling issue. Palin must have convinced him that this is the right position to take. In line with the humble attitude that he is trying to project, it would have be even greater if he had admitted that his no-drilling position was wrong. This is good, because now Obama alone has to answer the question why he opposes it. Perhaps he would change his mind like McCain, or like his view on the success of the Surge.

The Ready-On-Day-One message should be hit home over and over again in the next 2 months. I think the following comes through without sounding boastful:

“We face many threats in this dangerous world, but I'm not afraid of them. I'm prepared for them. I know how the military works, what it can do, what it can do better, and what it should not do. I know how the world works. I know the good and the evil in it. I know how to work with leaders who share our dreams of a freer, safer and more prosperous world, and how to stand up to those who don't. I know how to secure the peace.”

Overall, a solid presentation that should give him the momentum going into the final 60 days. I expect the polls to begin showing that McCain-Palin will slowly move ahead of the Obama-Biden in the next few weeks.