The same trait that brought McCain to the big stage makes it impossible for him to play there

(I spent way too much time on this post, so I may leave it on top throughout the day, updating underneath.)

John McCain did not rise to prominence through some great policy initiative or leading some great movement. John McCain became "famous" by being entertaining on the political talk shows, by being nearly everpresent, and by being a "good guest."

Back in the days when he was just a Senator appearing on Hardball or the Sunday shows, McCain greatly benefited from his ability to respond extemporaneously to the events of the day. It was this charming, counterpunching style that made for good TV and the media found irresistible.

What's funny is that the same traits that brought him to enough prominence to reach this big stage are now the ones that are crippling him under a very different and more direct type of media coverage.

Despite the efforts to recreate the talkshow effect in the "townhalls," the McCain campaign is having all kinds of problems, and, I would argue those problems ironically stem from the same traits that made him a good "contestant" on a talk show.

The talkshows loved him because he wouldn't simply come on and repeat talking points like everyone else, but, on the stump, that is manifesting itself as the inability to make it through a single event staying "on message." An energy event turns into Obama's trip. An economy event turns into Iraq, etc.

McCain is being accused of "chasing the news cycle," but I would argue that's what he's always done, responding off the cuff to the events of the day. That's who he is.

McCain's delivery method means that he's constantly extemporaneously rephrasing his positions on the fly leading to inevitable overstatements and gaffes like the flips on Iraq timetables or the flips on new taxes.

This talkshow/townhall thing kinda works in small markets, given enough time. The "rephrasings" can mollify different audiences. But this isn't a primary election in a small state. It's national campaign, played under a very different level of media scrutiny.

No one is saying this, but when they talk about "letting McCain be McCain," I think they're talking about turning this "TV guest" loose.

I also think there's a something of a clash in generational media. While McCain may be the first "talkshow candidate," I think the talkshow candidate era peaked around 2000. We're now in the YouTube era where all of that extemporaneousness is recorded, extracted into its worst elements, and replayed on a loop.

(Just a theory I'm kinda kicking around. Sorry for the rambling. It's not completely solid yet.)

Later: How does McCain gain ground in the townhall format? It's by definition counterpunching, so without an Obama mistake, how does the "townhall" generate momentum?