The final McCain gambit?
In a Washington Times interview, McCain decides to gamble it all and "lambastes" his party's current President, George Bush.
Interesting he would do this in the very right, and almost exclusively right read, Washington Times.
(Let's finish this off by pissing off the base, eh?)
Sen. John McCain on Wednesday blasted President Bush for building a mountain of debt for future generations, failing to pay for expanding Medicare and abusing executive powers, leveling his strongest criticism to date of an administration whose unpopularity may be dragging the Republican Party to the brink of a massive electoral defeat.
"We just let things get completely out of hand," he said of his own party's rule in the past eight years.
Interesting he would do this in the very right, and almost exclusively right read, Washington Times.
(Let's finish this off by pissing off the base, eh?)
posted by mikevotes at
7:40 AM
5 Comments:
It's become impossible to make any sense out McCain's strategy lately.
If he intended to bolster his "maverick" credentials, the Wash. Post would be the better venue.
This seems more like using Bush as a scapegoat for the impending disaster, which is expedient since Bush will be out of office soon. The GOP in general will probably be taking up this narrative after the election.
But as a campaign move, this reeks. It runs the risk of alienating the Republican core. One could look at it as some kind of vindication, too - McCain saying to the Party that they should have picked him in 2000 instead of Bush.
By
Todd Dugdale , at 8:40 AM
Is this a "Bulworth" moment Chuck Todd was predicting?
By
-epm, at 9:17 AM
I'm gonna respond to both of y'all.
I was thinking about this this morning, just floating it as a theory.
If you take as literal the reporting that it was Steve Schmidt, supported by Davis, who were largely responsible for Palin, and you take as literal that it was those two who urged and formulated the Ayers attacks, maybe this, in some kinda way, is McCain fighting against them.
Maybe this is Bulworth. Maybe it is McCain saying "After all this, I'm not listening to you guys anymore."
Of course, it could also be strategy, but, as Todd notes, the WashTimes would be the worst possible place to do it. (except that maybe you get a friendly reporter who lets you review before press.)
I don't know. But he has taken the topic of $150,000 wardrobe. At least for awhile.
By
mikevotes, at 10:44 AM
But the fact is he's not railing against those guys (Schmidt, Davis) and their campaign tactics. He's railing against the very man he's supported 90% of the time.
If this is his rant against Schmidt/Davis, it's too obtuse for me to see.
As far as the Washington Times is concerned, it's probably just that McCain's shopping for friendly media. He probably just feels relaxed in the lap of friendly press and let fly his gut views.
He'll be back on the trail speaking out of the other side of his mouth later today....
By
-epm, at 11:50 AM
I phrased that a little wrong for what I intended.
I was thinking more in terms of rebellion against his advisers. After they led him down the wrong path, he just decided to stop listening to them, disregard their advice, and say whatever the hell he thought was right.
(And, I haven't seen the movie, but I'm not saying McCain is suddenly being honest. What I'm saying is that he's saying what he thinks is good campaigning. Returning to his desire for Lieberman in a way.)
In the end, I don't think it matters to the pres race. However, he is screwing his party if he sticks to this, so, it is kind of a big deal.
By
mikevotes, at 1:49 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home