The McCain Yin to Obama's Yang

After watching the Super Bowl tonight---I mean, Barack Obama's acceptance speech---I have come to the following conclusion. It's impossible for John McCain to try to compete with Obama in terms of oratory and pyrotechnics. So there's only one thing for McCain to do. Something that is thoroughly consistent with who he is, his life's path, and the campaign for the presidency he is running.

For his acceptance speech, McCain should do the exact opposite of what Obama did tonight. In light of this over-the-top spectacle, McCain should deliver his acceptance speech this way:

Take a plain wooden stool, carry it to the middle of the stage, and sit on it, with one foot on a rung and the other foot on the ground. Take a handheld microphone, and then speak without a teleprompter, without notes, without contrivance. Deliver his speech with a confident humility. Sotto voce. Obama's speech blew people AWAY from him, like the guy in the Memorex commercial. McCain should make people LEAN IN to him, listening with a keen ear. The booming voice has power. But so does the quiet one.

McCain does this well anyway, and it will be a brilliant counterpoint to the path Obama chose tonight. If McCain goes intimate, humble, conversational, he will beat Obama at his own game. You don't compete with Obama---with the Acropolis and the fake Oval Office set design and Springsteen and Oprah and the confetti and the Grucci fireworks and the preacher's cadence and Bon Jovi and whatever else Obama had going on.

McCain should go in the opposite direction: be proud but not boastful, humble but not meek, strong but not overweening, passionate but not phony, principled but not fatally idealistic. Obama's speech was majestic, yes. But there is a quiet majesty McCain can mine, by sitting on a simple stool and speaking softly while carrying a big stick.

Comments

[mjfell]

As majestic as Barack Obama's speech may have been (and he is a very good orator), it can be boiled down to five simple words: "A chicken in every pot".

Promise the people everything. Let them hear exactly what they want to hear.

WOW!

And to think that I almost missed out on all this change that I can believe in...

[FK]

As usual, Monica, your political instincts suck.

[M/M]

I think Monica is right. People LOVE John McCain when he is being John McCain. I LOVE his ad because he, unlike the Democrats, has a sense of humor and he is not afraid to show it.

Rudy was telling George Stephenopolous last week that John McCain is a regular guy, and I believe that. John McCain has been showing us that he is just like us, while they are TRYING to show us that they are just like us.

That whole DNC convention was so phony. I've never seen the Democrats pray and wave flags so much in my entire life. Even Melissa Etheridge was singing "God Bless America". Are these the same people who are always battling with us over the flag and crosses and religious symbols that NO ONE had a problem with for decades? Don't forget how we felt when Michael Newdow took us to court over the Pledge and the Left cheered him on.

Maybe Obama can give a speech, but no one else other than the Clintons can. Everyone else is unwatchable.

[M/M]

I'm listening to "Good Morning America" and it is now a crime to own more than 1 house if you are running for President. How many more things can the Democrats ban? Don't answer that. We know that instead of spending their time solving real problems, they spend their energy trying to impose IDIOTIC bans on our life.

[M/M]

When Rudy was running, they said he kept talked about 9/11 too much. Now, they criticize Juan because he talks about his POW experience too much. Look at the source.

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/08/28/former-president-carter-mccain-milking-pow-experience/

I'm going to assume that Juan will do the RIGHT thing today, so I'm dedicating this song to him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5h02ZmeB5c

[FK]

M/M --

I'm very tired of you generalizing about all Democrats based on a few people.

Does that mean that I can generalize about Republicans based on the comments I've seen here from some of the lunatic fringe?

Would you be surprised that I had American flags all over my home after 9/11? No, I wasn't burning them, but apparently you would assume I was.

[M/M]

Don't forget Michael Newdow and the 9th Circuit Court

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Newdow

[M/M]

http://wizbangblog.com/content/2004/11/24/declaration-of.php

[M/M]

Berkely Banned US Flag, Star Spangled Banner, And God Bless America on 9/11
This is absolutely incredible to me. What the hell is happening to the colleges in this country? The article about it appears below:"

-------------------------------------------------------
http://forums.techguy.org/random-discussion/96560-berkely-banned-us-flag-star.html

[gringoman]

M/M,

Of course Monica, MJ Fell and you are right. That's why Fredka goes mental again.

By the way, 'contrarian idiot' proves he's not a total waste at this site. It's often an infallible sign that Monica, or anyone else, hit a bull's eye, or a Fred head between the eyes.

Good shot, Monica.

[M/M]

"A thousand parents and tax payers can't get one filthy book removed from this school but one 14 year old girl complains about a patriotic song because it has the word God in it and "Poof!" it's history..."

http://culturecampaign.blogspot.com/2007/09/buffalo-grove-hs-removes-god-bless.html

[M/M]

I don't know enough about Sarah Palin, but she looks ok. If it is Tom Ridge, I want to congratulate the GOP in advance for losing my vote AGAIN.

http://www.foxnews.com/

[gringoman]

Sarah Pailin? 44-year old woman whose had, what, barely two years experience as a "leader"? But has conservative cred, attractive, personable yada-yada, and will "lure" the HIllary cougars? I'm sure she's likeable.

Yes,well, okay. Well, probably. Juanito at least would not be sticking the knife into heart of conservative base which he would have with Joe Lieberman, if the certainty of dramatic Republican revolt didn't sober him up.

So he goes touchy-feely pc with attractive, inexperienced woman, instead of manning up with the undeniablly most favored, accomplished and dynamic man who was ready, willing and waiting and who would have charged up the Republicans with a real bolt of excitement---Mitt Romney.

Juanito permitted some personal dislike of Romney and fear of Dems playing up their tired Marxie class-war "houses and rich guy" attack to dissuade him from the overwhelmingly obvious choice he should have made. He also falls into that dinky "progressive" trap the libs love to set for him by going "sensitive pc", taking woman over the far more qualified man---the same dreary game being played all over America (and its military) now with gender, race, sex orientation etc etc. How pathetic. Every intelligent woman knows how feminized the USA is getting and doesn't need any white liberal girly-man or the old lefty hags to preach to her about it.

God, am I proud that I have never been a Republican, even while seeing how increasingly repellent are the Dems.

[Dgscol]

It looks like the winner of the VP position is Lieberman. If this is really true them, has McCain thrown the Wall St drunks under the bus?

[FK]

Who says it's Lieberman?

Once again, M/M, I ask you. May I generalize about conservatives that they all agree with Gringoman and Ummah since you generalize about us?

[FK]

Sarah Palin??????????????

[FK]

OK. I got nothing to say. Never heard of this woman before today.

The Governor of Alaska?????

Is this the best choice for the Republican ticket?

[J. Pierpont Finch]

GO

McCain-Palin!

[Dgscol]

This is just as I predicted - McCain is going for the Alaskan cougars. Bravo. Actually, she might leave the office and then, in comes Lieberman.

[gringoman]

I would have gone with the clear bolt of excitement and qualifications: Romney.

My reservations about US becoming overly feminized have been stated. Intelligent women are even writing books about what's happening to boys today in political correct America. Libs and socialistas love it. Anything to weaken what stands between them and Saul Alinsky's POWER.

That said, Sarah Pailin is not an un-intriguing choice. Clear record as reformer against Republican corruption.
Grossly unqualified and ready for national leadership, but certainly no more so than BH Obama. There's the rub. Get it? Pubs at least have the decency to put their unqualified in VP slot, instead of at the head of the ticket!

More. Pailin hearkens back to a more enterprising, dynamic, rough-and-ready kind of American that is still somewhat possible in Alaska, due to its being so far from the great Socialist Nipple the libs and RINOS have brought to the USA.

There is an authentic pre-FDR Annie Oakley quality about this gal, the type that is now dying out in the advancing Socialismus. Smart, communicative, enterprising, soccer mom of 5 kids, unabashed huntress, NRA, drill, drill, drill etc. She will not cause a Republican implosion that Juanito's favorite, Joe Lieberman, would. She may even attract some of the Hillary cougars as Juanito decides to pander some and avoid the Dems' Marxie class war arrows they'd fire against Romney for daring to be rich, accomplished and dynamic. The Democrats undoubtedly are not amused. She's younger even than their "empty" suit who heads their ticket. How cruel.

Conclusion: McCain could have done worse. He almost did. Alas, Mitt, we almost got to know you well.

[gringoman]

The Obamatons keep giving:

OBAMA SPOKESMAN BILL BURTON:"Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency.

GAB SPOKESMAN GRINGOMAN: "Yesterday the Democrats (they hope) put a community organizer with zero foreign policy experience and zero executive experience (unlike Pailin) not a heartbeat away, but right into the Presidency."

[Dgscol]

I thought McCain would pick a relative unknown, but this woman, besides possibly grabbing some disgruntled female voters from the Left, has extremely limited experience, and only a HS education. Reformer or not, her main qualifications seem to be her looks, and her XX chromosomes. She may be a placeholder for someone else who actually acts as McCain's partner, but if something should happen to McCain, this could be disastrous. Apparently Sen McCain did not quite find the right person.

[Dgscol]

I need to correct myself - she has a BS degree, so she's in there with Ronald Reagan and Lyndon Johnson ...

Monica would've been a better choice ... but she may have been more difficult to handle, being the fighter that she is.

[FK]

Apparently she's a great basketball player. Maybe she could play some one-on-one with Obama.

[Ummahgummah]

As usual, Monica, your political instincts suck.

POSTED BY: FREDK2929

--

As usual, FreaK offers up a generalizing one-line insult to an article Monica wrote.

I suggest FreaK should write one of similar length and we will all compare notes.

[Ummahgummah]

oh, and FreaK had the Star-spangled banner all over his house.. I guess he must've been fumigating or painting.

The libs always love this country the most BEFORE an election.

[FK]

UG --

I don't get paid to offer political analysis. When I have time to write something lengthy, I will. But I felt a need to express my initial response to Monica's (as usual) lousy analysis, so I did.

[FK]

UG --

Always a way to rationalize your opinion that "libs" are not patriotic, isn't there?

I don't think taking us to war against a country that did not attack us and handling the war incompetently was particularly patriotic of George W. Bush, do you?

[Ummahgummah]

Oh and in Alto Adige [South Tyrolia], Italy they are discussing an art exhibit featuring a frog nailed to a crucifix.

Of course all the usual self-hating liberal types are totally for keeping the frog in the musem.

Since there are some of them right here amongst us let everyone be reminded of the recent past by a small sampling of art censorship when it comes to "offending" the cult of islam.

The don't even stop short of murder.

Ideomeneo, Berlin

http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,439393,00.html

Dumb Stone, Berlin

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,538666,00.html

Woman artist gets death threats over gay moslem photos, Den Haag

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article3137510.ece

Geert Wilders' FITNA movie, Den Haag

Mohamed Caricatures, Denmark

Salman Rushdie

Theo Van Gogh

It's easier to be "radical" when you can pick on Christians who don't fight back. The frog incident only became notorious because the Pope sent a note of protest to the museum in Bolzano where the exhibit is housed.

[does that make him a protestant? LOL]

That's as bad as it gets for thee "artists".

They know d™mn well that the Pope isn't going to send the Swiss Guard to Bozen to blow up the place.

Limousine radicals, all of them.

Just like Bill Maher. The little runt never takes on islam. He has no GUTS.

[gringoman]

The Obamatons keep giving, yet again.....

Jim Jordan, a veteran Democratic strategist, told Politico, "After his attacks on Obama's readiness for the job, it'll be amusing to hear a 71-year-old with a history of health problems justify this decision."

"She's a talent, but that's the end of the experience message from John McCain."

GRINGOMAN, a veteran GAB strategist, told MonicaMedia:

"After his attacks on McCain for 20 years inside Washington, it'll be fun to hear Obama justify his decision to pick a guy with even more years inside the Beltway.

"Joe Biden is a talent, but that's the end of the "change" message for Barack Obama."

[Ummahgummah]

FreaK, throwing open the borders to allow foreigners to take advantage of the social system is unpatriotic!

The hand-wringing over any "infraction" by our troops when they are fighting an enemy that knows no bounds, no rules is UNPATRIOTIC.

It encourages the enemy!

The constant bowing and snivelling before a foreign hostile creed is UNPATRIOTIC!

Shall I go on..? I've got much more.

[Skunky]

I love how the Sarah Palin VP pick has left ZerObama's big evo in the dust...crickets are chirping regarding "Milhous"! I don't know much about the Guv and it's too early to form an opinion BUT I do like that she is as supposedly Conservative as she is. We'll see.

I hate identity politics though and am not impressed 'just 'cuz she's a chick. Funny how ZerObama's camp said she wasn't too experienced!

Gringo, thanks for the heads up on "Roosevelt Franklin"! I'm sure he's in the back pocket of "Colonel Mustard" our very pompous poster here. Glenn Beck was crapping on about Keith Olbermann this morning for the same pompouse attitude that we've taken "Colonel Mustard" to task for! It was very funny.

[Dgscol]

Palin is a literal Mr. Smith goes to Washington. She has small town core values unadulterated by political machinations - totally inexperienced and impractical. Wears furs.

[Skunky]

Ummah, you are so right about that freak Bill Maher. He hates God 'cuz he's so angry God made him so friggen' ugly. He doesn't have the genitals to take on Islam but loves to slam religion. He's a self-hating wimp!

If one hates religion and denies a God, why the hell would they wanna listen to Bill Maher anyway? He's nasty (to everyone ala Keith Olbermann)and anyone who is so vocal about their distain of women and so blatantly disrespects them has a lot of nerve mocking Conservatives as lesser than.

I know the conventional wisdom is to say Scrappy Joe (Biden...more hair now than he had when he ran in the 80's) thinks he's the smartest guy in the room, but that toerag Maher has him beat. In Australia the term for a bloke like that is..."FigJam" ("F*** I'm Good...Just Ask Me!"). That's Maher!

[gringoman]

Skunky,

The Offended One, or Angry Black 'Republican' has left for a sojourn in the Carribean, rather than make a rational reply to what I posted from Michelle Malkin on 'The Obama thugs' going hysterically after scholar Stanley Kurtz who is trying to open up the Chicago files on Obama-Bill Ayers history. The 'Offended One' had no reply except a few snarks about 'Confederate slave masters.' And this is the new "educated" black? I don't get it.

Meanwhile, the Obamatoadies continue to entertain. They define Sarah Pailin's hubbie with one of their stock neo-Leninisms: OIL MAN. He's an 'Oil Man.' Even I half-bought it at first, until the facts just came out from AP about Sarah's "Oil Man." (not that I cared if he was some kind of big exec)

FROM THE AP: "Palin lives in Wasilla, a town of 6,500 about 30 miles north of Anchorage, with her husband, Todd, a blue-collar North Slope oil worker who won the 2007 Iron Dog, a 1,900-mile snowmobile race. He is part Yup'ik Eskimo. The two have spent summers fishing commercially for salmon, an enterprise that once left her with broken fingers aboard their boat."

http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0808/Obama_camp_belittles_Palin_pick.html

Mark my word. Hear that popping sound? It's the first batch of elite liberal heads, beginning to explode. I'm beginning to think that maybe McCain knew what he was doing with this amazing pick. Will have to see how she holds up in huge media spotlight. I have a hunch she can handle it. We'll see. She's a professional communicator, with an Alaskan accent. Libs may have cause to be afraid, very afraid, as she seems to be a very real person, despite no national experience. They are not used to so much reality hitting them like this.

[gringoman]

Monica and/or Skunky:

The Dems are licking their chops over Sarah Pailin's "inexperience" and what Joe Biden will do to her in the debate.

They don't realize yet that she is a professional communicator.

They also don't know what she was known as in high school: SARAH BARRACUDA.

Shhhhhhhh! Don't tell 'em yet. String 'em along. Let 'em be smarmy while they still can.

[Ummahgummah]

Is this the best choice for the Republican ticket?

POSTED BY: FREDK2929

--

Thank you for your concern, Freddie-boy! The libs are hopping mad about this choice for VP.

So it must be good!

I like the lib pudit Rush had a soundbite on who said that choosing Lieberman would've been a more "maverick" pick.

Oh yeah, when a Pub does what the MSM/dhims want then they're a "mAAAverick".

Bleaaaaat..

This is an IN YOUR FACE appointment. I love the woman's speech she gave and that she's an outdoorsy type doesn't hurt.

Even if that leaves less time to read books, Fred.

I prefer people with real life experience over bookworms and study groups.

In the outdoors you have only one time to make decision.

One wrong decision can prove to be fatal.

She seems to know more about fish and fishing than your average "environmentalist".

If the going gets tough and she did have to step up and be President I think she's up for the task.

I also doubt whether there's much sympathy for islam in Alaska :-)

I'd rather have her facing down the Achmanazi than HUSSEIN Obama.

[naijaman]

So McCain spends months telling Americans that Obama is not experienced enough to be President of the United States, and now he claims Sarah Palin is qualified to be President of the United States? That makes no sense at all. Additionally, McCain needs to realize that he cannot court the James Dobson crowd while courting the Hillary Clinton voters.

Let's see how things shake out.

[naijaman]

Palin opposes abortion even in the cases of rape and incest, which put her to McCain's right. Not sure how that'll go over with independent voters. What do you folks think?

[Dgscol]

Sarah said she listens to her mother, as in the 4th commandment, as in the Right side of the father.

She will not like living in DC, with all the pollution,and traffic. She seems a little shaky under the big spotlight.
Of course, I wish her well. She has said it is time for change, for public interest above special interest. Everyone seems to be saying that, except John McCain -- for some reason.

[mjfell]

McCain's always said that first and foremost he'd pick someone that shared his values. Apparantly that actually was the deciding factor. Good for John McCain. For those who question Palin's experence remember, she's the Vice Presidential nominee, not the Presidential.

This demonstrates a clear distinction from Bush's decision to hire a long time Washington insider to be his "co-President".

McCain's stayed true to himself and his personal values.

Obama's gone from being "the great outsider agent of change" to mimicking George W. Bush's choice of a VP candidate.

I love the irony of it all.

As Tim Russert would have said: "What a country"!

[Dgscol]

Let me guess what Monica will say : Unlike the sleazy Clinton camp, dirtied by duplicity and vague values, besmirched by hidden agendas, Sarah is a breath of fresh air, clean as an Alaskan stream.

[Dgscol]

Sarah Palin probably could tackle Nancy Pelosi, without too much trouble.

[SteveOk]

I don't know much about Sarah Palin but I heard her speech today with McCain and she is terrific. She is a very good speaker and actually appears to be better than McCain. She could very well be better than Obama since he only spews platitudes and she really had substance to say. I think this is an excellent choice. She appears to be conservative and will bring in the base and also appeal to disaffected Hillary voters. Since Obama shot himself in the foot with Biden, this appears to be a homerun for McCain. He knocked it deep out of the park.

As as for a bounce from the Democratic Convention I think their Convention was pretty much a bust. According to the latest Rasmussen tracking poll Obama has about a 4 point lead. That is nothing to write home about and we'll see what the McCain VP pick does for the polls in a couple of days.

[Ummahgummah]

The Obamatons keep giving:

OBAMA SPOKESMAN BILL BURTON:"Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency.

---

Did he mean a po-dunk town of 9000 angry clingers?

[Ummahgummah]

Sarah Palin probably could tackle Nancy Pelosi, without too much trouble.

Posted by: Truther

--

The sooner the better.

[Ummahgummah]

So McCain spends months telling Americans that Obama is not experienced enough to be President of the United States, and now he claims Sarah Palin is qualified to be President of the United States?

--

So Obama spends months telling Americans that McCain is too much of a Washington insider to be President of the United States, and now he claims Joe Biden is qualified to be President of the United States because he has THIRTY-SEVEN YEARS OF EXPERIENCE in WASHINGTON D.C.?

[Ummahgummah]

Oh, I didn't have time to watch the O speech last night. I heard he wants to spen lots of money though.

I'd be curious to know if he mentioned the $845 BN "Global Poverty Reduction Act".

Can anyone clue me in?

[Ummahgummah]

Oh, and if McCain had to pick a woman.. why didn't he pick Sue Myrick?

She's a Southerner and she is NO-NONSENSE when it comes to the cult of peace®.

[Ummahgummah]

Michael Savage is saying this pick is a disaster and that McCain is throwing the election.

G-d, I hope he's wrong!

We simply CANNOT afford TWO years of TOTAL TAXATION!