McCain's Failure To Communicate

National Review Online: He Could Have Scored On Energy At Debate, Instead He Fumbled

(National Review Online)  This column was written by Max Schulz.

Drudge called it “B-O-R-I-N-G.” Mark Steyn was even more brutal, labeling last night’s presidential debate a “horrible travesty” for the excruciating tedium created by the event’s artificiality. Given the dreariness generated by the two candidates and moderator Tom Brokaw, last evening’s showdown was a travesty for any viewer who stuck it out to the bitter end.

But it was also a travesty for John McCain, who needed to do something to right the listing ship that is his campaign. Unfortunately for the former Navy man, his vessel’s wounds were self-inflicted. His debate performance did nothing to salvage his bid for the White House. If there is any upside for McCain from last night, it lies in the hope that the affair was so mind-numbingly dull that any self-respecting viewer not being paid to tune in was doing something else.

Forget McCain’s answers on the financial crisis (not very good), health care (hardly better), or foreign policy (much better - but, by then, who was watching?). His real problem is that he badly flubbed his chance to score points on the one issue that has captivated voters’ attention all year: energy. Time and again last evening, McCain was inarticulate, unfocused, and seemingly unaware of most Americans’ real concerns on energy and the economy.

In a debate dominated early on by economic issues, McCain never managed to describe his energy agenda as the vote-grabbing pocketbook issue that it undoubtedly is. The sky-high gasoline prices Americans paid all summer were effectively an energy tax, brought to us by policies limiting energy production supported chiefly by Democrats like Nancy Pelosi.

But you wouldn’t have known it listening to McCain. To the extent he spoke of high prices, he decried the wealth transfer of petrodollars to the unsavory regimes in places like the Middle East. Fair enough, and one would hope those considerations would be on any president’s mind. But that’s not what has gotten consumers so upset as the price of oil rose to $150 per barrel and gasoline flirted with $5 per gallon earlier this year. If there was ever a visceral, kitchen-table issue in this election, it’s high gas prices. McCain managed to put it at a remove, relegating it to the arcana of foreign affairs and international diplomacy. Citing a figure like the annual overseas transfer of $700 billion means little in the current environment. It’s an abstraction, hardly different from $500 billion or $900 billion, whereas the difference between $2.50 and $3.50 per gallon of gasoline when filling up is all the difference in the world.

Barack Obama, too, talked up the foreign-policy considerations of dependence on foreign oil. Yet he also made sure to empathize with families for whom $3.80 gas strains the budget. The irony that Senator Obama’s party shoulders much of the responsibility for those high prices was not even hinted at by Senator McCain.

McCain similarly squandered an opportunity to clarify his differences from Obama on nuclear power. It wasn’t for lack of trying. But McCain so garbled his sentiments on nuclear energy that one couldn’t tell what he was saying. The facts are these: Both candidates claim to support nuclear power, but McCain actually seems to mean it. He supports opening the Yucca Mountain waste repository, a critical step in guaranteeing the expansion of nuclear energy.

Obama, meanwhile, vows to shut down Yucca, though provides no alternatives. He’s trying to have it both ways. He can say he supports nuclear, as do increasing numbers of Americans. But he sends an unmistakable signal to the anti-nuclear environmental lobby that, without Yucca Mountain, nuclear power isn’t going to expand on his watch. McCain tried to spit something out on this point, but tripped over his tongue in an answer about climate change. All of which brings to mind the famous line from Cool Hand Luke, starring the recently deceased Paul Newman (himself a proponent of nuclear power): “What we have here is failure to communicate.” Indeed.

Any doubts about who would win the energy portion of last night’s debate were erased when the candidates were asked to identify the highest immediate priority that would face the next president. Was it energy, health care, or social security? McCain answered first, and equivocated. All are critical, he said. You’ve got to handle each. They’re all equal. With his answer, meanwhile, Obama showed why at this late date he is the favorite to win come Election Day. Without any hesitation, Obama stated that we have to prioritize and that energy tops the list. (The fact that Obama said in the first debate that energy would be the first item on his agenda he’d abandon will no doubt be tossed down the memory hole by his cheerleaders in the mainstream media.)

McCain clawed his way back into the race this summer by riding the wave of outrage over the offshore-drilling ban. He further helped his cause by picking a running mate from one of the most important energy-producing states in the Union. How ironic that he is giving back those gains by failing to appreciate that the 2008 contest will go down as the Energy Election.

[harbinger09]

ainttaken,

Are you saying it''''s okay to criticize a person for their physical characteristics? How does that differ from racism?

Posted by ausus at 01:10 AM : Oct 10, 2008


Uhmmm you can always get cosmetic surgery or cover up a lot of deformities but you can''t change your skin color or change people''s reaction to you because of it?

[harbinger09]

Wow, even the NRO thought McCain sucked. That really leaves Faux as the only faithful mouthpieces the GOP has.

Posted by usclimey at 02:20 PM : Oct 08, 2008

And Fox News polls indicate the Ayers gambit has not helped McCain at all....LMAO

[harbinger09]

"How ironic that he is giving back those gains by failing to appreciate that the 2008 contest will go down as the Energy Election."

HOW IDIOTIC CAN THE GOP AND THEIR PUNDITS BE? IT''S THE ECONOMY STUPID. And if you don''t realize that by now--you never will--you can talk about energy until you are blue in the face. but as people lose value on their 401Ks or face job loss, gas costing 4.00/gal or even 2.50/gallon means NOTHING if the country is out of work and jobs are no where to be found. The ECONOMY!! Energy is but one component--with a weak dollar, no matter what--gas will always cost more--and a weak dollar is the net result of over-borrowing for bailouts and unnecessary wars. With a low value dollar comes hyper inflation-and with that comes no money for cars, gas or anything else. Stupids.

[caldwellptr]

Failure to Communicate? This has been the saddest campaign to watch in my lifetime, with regards to Senator McCain. I think his campaign is trying to deflect attention away from any mention of the Keating 5, which with our economic meltdown is understandable. But by trying to deflect an adult Senator McCain''s association with the Keating 5 to an 8 year old at the time Barack Obama with the Weather Underground is .... well, as I said, this campaign has been very sad to watch. There have been other candidates in the past who would say and do anything to become President of the United States, but McCain is now creating his legacy now as one of them.

[skysoldier75]

What exactly is a maverick?

Not a follower, but not a leader either. If people followed him, he would, by definition, be a leader, not a maverick.

A maverick is somebody who just doesn''t really fit in anywhere -- someone who''s off all on their own somewhere.

It took Bush 8 years to become a politically isolated loner -- McCain is determined to be an isolated loner from day one.

It''s going to take an enormous amount of bipartisan support to fix all of our nation''s current problems. McCain doesn''t even seem to have the support of his own party, let alone within the opposition party.

Being a maverick during such tough political times really doesn''t sound like a big plus to me. It sounds a lot more like serious trouble down the road.

[selenia08]

George Bush and his Administration have caused the economic crisis and Barack Obama just like Bill Clinton have to clean up the mess cause John Mcain will just make a bigger one.

[selenia08]

i think mcain doesn''t know how to communicate with people he can''t relate with. A man at the ttown hall meeting was in the service and he jumped at the opportunity to talk with him and try to answer his question cause he didn''t even do that. John Mcain and his wife are in it just for the fun of it they don''t care about real people like me or my family Cindy Mcain didn''t shake not one hand at that town meeting, she didnt''t talk to not one person in that hall, Michelle Obama spoke with at least one person in every section of that town hall meeting. Barack and Michelle Obama know where my family comes from they have been where we are. It shows in the way they went out of their way to say hello to those people that go to every rally they have. John Mcain maybe a POW but that doesn''t qualify him to be president or commander and cheif of our military. Their is more to being President then just knowing when to go to war. You should be able to relate and know where all Americans come from not just the rich and priviledge they way John Mcain and Sarah Palin are. Miss Soccer wouldn''t be able to handle they lifestyle most Americans like myself have, and it shows.

[clestes-2009]

What a pathetic attempt to lay the blame for the high gas prices on Nancy Pelosi instead of where they belong, on big oil and the republicans they own.

When Obama is elected he is going to take us off oil. They have been fighting this for decades, but it is finally going to happen.

No offshore drilling, no more raping the west for oil shale, the Alaska pipeline will disinegrate, ANWR will be protected. No more nuke plants or their posionous waste.

Better days are coming. Days without smog, without paying middle east terrorists for our energy, without the ugly sight of nuclear plants, without the danger they present.

[ausus-2009]

ainttaken,

Are you saying it''s okay to criticize a person for their physical characteristics? How does that differ from racism?

[ausus-2009]

TrueBlueUSA,

You are typical of the left. You make remarks about the physical appearance of those you dislike. This type of behavior happens too often to be a coincidence. I have seen it repeatedly both in the US and overseas. Perhaps there a link between that and the immaturity of the critic.

[yoy91913]

States%u2019 Actions to Block Voters Appear Illegal

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/09/us/politics/09voting.html?em

WILL YOUR VOTE BE COUNTED????

[ausus-2009]

brianbwb,

I think you had better have another look at your mathematics. I think you will find that Singapore''s gasoline is more like $6 a gallon US. Malaysia would convert to closer to $3 a gallon.

The US has the lowest gasoline prices in the non-subsidized world. I am sure Obama will correct that and bring US gasoline prices into line with Europe''s $7-10 a gallon.

McCain was inarticulate, unfocused, and seemingly unaware of most Americans%u2019 real concerns on energy and the economy.
----
That''s because McCain is sincerely, genuinely and unabashedly inarticulate, unfocused and unaware of most Americans'' real concerns on energy and the economy.

When the famous line from Cool Hand Luke was uttered, and it wasn''t by Paul Newman, someone else was deep in a hole, an unrepentent maverick whose only vision in life was to put distance between himself and his colleagues. It is not surprising that John McCain advocates drilling holes in ANWR, flushing holes in the outer shelf and filling holes with nuclear waste in Yucca Mountain. John McCain has dug himself into a hole from which his only hope of escape is for Obama to contract a case of laryngitis. I understand John and Sarah find that an unacceptable means of acquiring political office, "talking one''s way into the White House," and all. I wonder what they prefer? Maybe MooseGuns and Missiles at 40 paces? Or throwing some of the nuclear waste stored at Yucca Mountain?

[mswolfestock]

Sorry!

Here is the link -

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/make_believe_maverick_the_real_john_mccain

[mswolfestock]

Hey everybody - you absolutely have to read this article. It''s the best evidence that McShame has ALWAYS been crazy, and totally unfit to do more than breathe.

[pdchapin]

The problem for McCain (besides being old which really showed at the debate) was that he''s running on the standard Republican (Bush) platform that nobody wants anymore. Unless he''s going to abandon everything he''s stood for for the last twenty years, that''s what he''s got to sell. The smart move would be to say "The policies are fine, it''s just that Bush is an idiot and couldn''t carry them out correctly. I have the experience to do it right. Obama doesn''t have enough experience to do anything so who cares what his policies are." Unfortunately for him, that would annoy the few remaining Bushies who he still needs.

Of course, running around like the proverbial headless chicken during the financial meltdown didn''t help either.

[augustman53]

Hey floridamom! Are you better off today than you were 8 years ago? Would you like four more years of the same? If so, vote for McPahlin! Haven''t been on this planet very long huh? Don''t you think that the Democratic Party did a background check on Mr. Obama BEFORE he was nominated or do you think that was the responsibity of Johnny Mac? John is not clean, he''s as duplictious as Bush is. He has been tied to the wrong side of the Iran-Contras, and so was Ron Reagan, but I won''t there. Not to mention this guy has yet to tell the people his economic plans. Can you honestly look at yourself in the mirror and say Sarah Pahlin has the qualifications to hold any federal level office? Come on, she is as dense as Alaska is cold, and she has no more vision for this country than Mac. The only one who actually answers questions is Obama. McCain and Pahlin will kill whatever little is left to this economy by pushing Bushs'' tax package for the rich, and keeping the $10,000,000,000.00 a month war going just to "save face." Sarah is not the hockey, middle class, soccer mom that so many have fallen for and believe. She has assets of over 2 million, and lives in a $550,000.00 home. Middle class, my a--!

[irmcvet97]

CHRISTIANS SHOULD BOYCOTT THE LIBERAL MEDIA AND ALL OF HOLLYWOOD UNTIL THEY CAN RESPECT BOTH SIDES. IF YOU CARE FOR THIS COUNTRY AT ALL, ACT NOW. THIS IS NOT A ONE-SIDES CAMPAIGN. OBAMA HAS THE MONEY AND THE BACKING OF LIBERALS WITH NOTHING ELSE TO GO ON TO LEAD THIS COUNTRY. BOYCOTT UNTIL IT HURTS THE POCKET BOOK, WHICH IS THE ONLY CONCERN WITH THE LIBERALS.

Posted by floridamom31 at 07:45 AM : Oct 09, 2008

I hate to break this to all you "NON LIBERALS" but I think YOU do have your own Propaganda Channel... WE, those who you call LIBERAL.. You know the ones who WON''T support the Party? Well we can go there if we CHOOSE!! Now at present there are FAR more pressing matters than your Bigotry and Dislike for all who do NOT agree with the "Party"!!

[irmcvet97]

Why isn''''t there ONE story in CBSNews about what''''s going on with ACORN? Why?

Posted by proisrael at 10:34 AM : Oct 09, 2008

MAYBE because there ARE more pressing issues! Look EVERYONE knows you poor people who have won in the past with Wedge Issues and HATE are still looking for ANYTHING but Come ON!! Obama hasn''t been associated with ACORN in DECADES... Could you PLEASE just VISIT us on THIS planet... you know the one with all the banks FAILING because of Mr. De-REGULATION??

[mswolfestock]

McShame''s arrogance made me want to be ill. The way he pointed his finger at Obama, referring to Obama as "that one," was worse yet. What a pig.

He''s like the cranky old grampa who pouts and gets mad when nobody wants to listen to his babbling.