by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright July 25, 2008
All Rights Reserved.

OP presumptive nominee Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) continued to hammer away at his Democratic rival Sen. Barack Obama (D-Il.), flailing away hoping to find some traction. McCain pushed Barack to visit the Middle East before rendering judgment about what to do in Iraq, while, simultaneously, criticizing him for going abroad. McCain can't fathom Barack's media attention, accusing the press of left-wing bias. He also condemns the media for ageism, mesmerized by the inspirational young candidate's Mideast and European tour. Calling Obama's Iraq policy “The Audacity of Hopelessness,” a twist on Barck's best-selling book “The Audacity of Hope,” McCain blasted the Democratic nominee's withdrawal plan, calling it defeatist and pessimistic. Barack sees his withdrawal plan as a logical and overdue midcourse correction for U.S. foreign policy.

      While McCain lashed out at Barack, he couldn't divert headlines from his exciting overseas' trip. Speaking at Berlin's Tiergarten Park, near Victory Column, commemorating Germany's many conquests, Barck reminded 200,000 well-wishers that there was much more to do than tear down the Berlin Wall. That Cold War edifice fell Nov. 9, 1989 along with the Soviet Union in 1991. “The walls between old allies on either side of the Atlantic cannot stand,” said Barack, alluding to strained relations since the Iraq War. “The walls between the countries with the most and those with the least cannot stand. The walls between races and tribes, natives and immigrants, Christian, Muslim and Jew cannot stand. These now are the walls we must tear down,” Barack told the cheering crowd, displaying the dazzling oratory that bedeviled Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's (D-N.Y.) campaign, now threatening McCain.

      When the last living offspring of the late President John F. Kennedy, Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg, endorsed Barack Jan. 27, she saw something special. Caroline felt Barack had the special something, namely, charisma, that reminded her of her father. Hillary pulled out all the stops but couldn't in the end stop Barack's appeal. McCain now blames the press for “left-wing bias,” when in reality, they're following the year's biggest story: The first African-American presidential candidate, an exciting newcomer to Washington's scene. As Caroline noted, the press experiences the most charismatic Democratic politician since JFK. His rhetorical skills are no match for the soon-to-be 72-year-old, four-term Arizona senator. McCain has difficulty following teleprompters, frequently mangling lines in prepared speeches. He's been known, too, to get his wires crossed at impromptu events.

       McCain, like Hillary, can't have it both ways: Criticizing Barack for his “youth and inexperience,” and then attacking him for trying. His European tour attempted to allay concerns, raised by Hillary and McCain, that he lacked the foreign policy gravitas to be president. Nearing the end of his nine-day jaunt, Barack made no gaffes and was well-received in the Middle East and Europe. “He would love to give a speech in Berlin but only as president,” said McCain, frustrated by Barack's media coverage. McCain urged Barack to visit the Middle East and Europe, now criticizing him for acting too presidential. Obama “launched a premature victory lap,” said McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds, adding, “John McCain has dedicated his life to serving, improving and protecting America, Barack Obama spent an afternoon talking about it,” again attacking Barack's gifted oratory.

      While recent polls show the electoral race tightening in Colorado and Minnesota, a Fox News poll indicates 51%-27% Barack will win the election. McCain faces stiff headwinds, convincing the electorate the country is not ready for change. Seven-and-half years of President George W. Bush's foreign and domestic policy have left the country in recession, costing the military over 4,100 lives, 30,000 injuries and nearly $1 trillion. McCain and Bush have no definition for “victory,” while inferring success from lower U.S. casualty rates. Meanwhile, Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds have not been able to reconcile differences, especially how to divvy up billions in oil revenues. McCain calls Obama's plan “a politically expedient timetable,” despite the five-and-a-half years of U.S. military involvement. After all the promises, Barack wants the Iraqis to take responsibility for the heavy lifting.

      McCain faces the same dilemma as Hillary, finding himself badly out-dueled in the all-important game of political oratory. She responded by disparaging Barack's words as empty rhetoric, contrasting herself as a “doer” not a “talker.” While some polls show the race tightening, it doesn't take into consideration Barack's appeal to independent voters and McCain's lack of appeal to evangelicals. While most of Bush's loyal base won't vote for Barack, they also won't enthusiastically support McCain when he favors immigration and protecting Roe v. Wade, a women's right to choose abortion. Barack's foreign trip showed firsthand that he was well-received in the Mideast and Europe, dashing McCain's key argument that he lacked enough foreign policy experience to be president. Unless McCain can dent Barack's charisma, he faces a tall mountain to climb before November.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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