When John McCain was the center of the media world in 2000 things were rosy for the Arizona Senator. He could travel and joke with the media, and be loved for not being like all the other Republicans. He was unique, strident, opinionated, and had diverse thoughts about the issues of the day. He was interesting and commanded attention based on his refusal to be a cookie cutter image of the GOP.
But when Potomac Fever became so controlling that McCain lost his independent strengths, and morphed into just another Republican the charm about the man waned. And understandingly so. In addition to his changing stands on the issues, he also pulled back from his free-wheeling nature with the press. That was a fatal mistake that has cost him dearly this year. What has been nearly as fatal to the McCain team however is the small stature John strikes when he poses in his jealous mood.
There is naturally lots of attention to Democratic nominee Barack Obama as he makes a very impressive international trip to the war ravaged areas of Afghanistan and Iraq, along with stops in the Middle East and Europe. Our future is at stake, and the man who might be the next leader of the free world is setting a tone for the future. Coverage is heavy and captivating.
Meanwhile back home John McCain’s campaign lies to a decades long reporter about the timing of a VP selection, claiming it was to take place while Obama was on the trip. That rumor looked shaky from the first leak of it from Robert Novak. We now know it all was an attempt to deflect some of the media attention Obama was having back to McCain. It looked awful!
There are now even attempts, via a John McCain website, to belittle the journalists who are covering Obama on the international trip. Ticking off the folks who buy ink by the barrel is not the route to the White House. More importantly it sends a message of insecurity and petulance about McCain, whose biography makes him to be such a strong man.
Letting smallness and jealousy take hold of a campaign is a sad thing to witness. Even when it happens to the opposition.
Technorati Tags: RobertNovak, BarackObama, Election08, JohnMcCain
CAFFEINATED POLITICS 
I agree. McCain has been coming off like a petulant child. It’s more saddening than anything else. As you noted, he once was a star.
There is nothing impressive about a media trip by a man who has less than 200 working days in congress and then 5 months before an election he has to go to places he never would have before in order to look like he is in touch with what is going on. America better be paying attention, this is a man who is in no way prepared to lead this country, his inexperience and lack of knowledge will bring despair and great risk of danger to our great country.
He should be ashamed of the stunt he has pulled here luckily the majority of America sees it for what is is a campaign event supported by the main stream media.
I hear your sour grapes, but your comment is pretty senseless, since Obama is better prepared – right now – than was Bush, Clinton, or Reagan at this juncture in their initial campaigns.
Let’s cut the crap here. The left wing media that makes up about 99% of the media in this country has crowned Obama King already. You can’t beat that God-like booming voice he has and his good looks. Now everyone jump into the DeLorean, set it for January 20, 2009 and watch the King take us down the path that George McGovern, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton only dreamed about…