Posted by
"Mind and Morals" Michael Coyne on Friday, June 13, 2008 12:00:00 AM
If john McCain was ever ahead of
Barack Obama, he’s not now. And we, as a party are in trouble. Senator Obama presents a dangerous
combination for the world of politics: JFK’s personal presentation and media adoration,
and political stances that make Jimmy Carter seem moderate. This could be
detrimental to the future of America.
One Fox News analyst who appeared
this week on The O’Reilly Factor claimed that the media loved the newly
christened BHO more than they did JFK. So what can we, the Republican Party, do
to ensure that there is never an Obama Administration? Well, first, we need to
assess the situation from a campaign/PR perspective. And since the media wants
Senator Obama to look like President Kennedy, we have to remember that Kennedy
barely won the popular vote in 1960; he was only .1% ahead of Richard Nixon.
Nixon had a “rough around the edges” manner about him, and he was less polished
than Kennedy. But fortunately, our 2008 guy isn’t Nixon. He’s Eisenhower.
In the 1950s, everybody liked Ike.
He had a public appeal that made him seem like everybody’s grandpa. America
wanted to support the man in the wooden chair who had plenty of war stories,
even if he didn’t necessarily want to tell them all. We have a personable,
kindly, grandfatherly war hero on the ticket. That’s the side Senator McCain
needs to play up right now. Because, sad as it is, most people couldn’t care
less about politics. They vote for the candidate who seems relatable and can
win their heart, if not necessarily their head. I truly believe that the new
Ike can and will beat the new JFK, but McCain needs to snap to that transition
quickly; voters will want time to adjust to a 1950s-influenced race.
Second, until Obama secured his
party’s nomination, there was no rush for Senator McCain to pick a running
mate. Technically, there still isn’t, but Ike needs someone who will clean up
and polish the ticket, which means we can’t pick Dick. Also, if McCain picks a
running mate soon (I know the convention isn’t until Sept. 1), he will temporarily
upstage Obama and he will split himself in two. In this case, that’s a good
thing. Two full-on campaigning machines are stronger than one. But whom would
Senator McCain want?
Whoever Senator Obama picks to run
with, the Democratic ticket will be polished and clean-cut. While Republicans
will read this as elitism, the media will see it as presentation skills.
Senator McCain already has somewhat of a coarser impression than most other
politicians; he’s down to earth and real. McCain is eternally tangible. So the
only thing that would logically balance that is a polished running mate. The
best bet for this is Governor Mitt Romney.
Romney presents an element that no
republican president or vice president has had in recent history: that same
polished finish that our Democratic rivals have had a monopoly on for what
seems like an eternity. Plus, Romney will win over the hard Right of the party
and balance the ticket geographically. Northeast meets Southwest looks pretty
good to the casual, superficial voter. I’m sure that certain elements of our
party will have complaints against Governor Romney taking the VP slot, but this
time, it’s truly what’s best for the McCain Campaign.
So these are the aesthetic choices
that McCain has to tackle before September, and the sooner the better. McCain
is an intelligent and capable man and the best choice for the next President of
the United States. And it will take more than a few town hall meetings with
favorable crowds to secure that position. Remember, the Dems think they’re
running the new JFK. So we’ll show them that the new Eisenhower can do in 2008
what Nixon couldn’t in 1960. If McCain doesn’t take this advice (or any
parallel advice), I’m willing to bet that his poll numbers will continue to
fall, and victory will be impossible to ensure in November.