McCain Reaches Out To Center In Acceptance Speech

For more than a year Republican Presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain walked a political tightrope, hoping to keep some of his 2000 moderate-independent voter support and attract GOP conservative base support. He jumped off the tightrope to successfully reunify his party. Tonight, in his party nominee acceptance speech, McCain jumped back on it– at least for a while — and started to reach out to the nation’s political center.

McCain’s main message: Change is coming and that his change — change that will occur by Republicans seeking to change the way the country was governed by Republicans is governed — is more genuine, solid and heartfelt than change offered by Democrats. Second message: his personal history brought him to a point where his sole interest is serving his country. Third message: the Republican party in a lot of ways blew it.

The first part of the message will continue to raise eyebrows among some voters who seek a nice, big broom to sweep out the people largely responsible for the past 8 years. The second message has been told in many ways and many forms before, although this time told with camera shots of GOP delegates displaying quivering lower lips, gazes of admiration and tears in their eyes.

But it’s the third component that could help his sagging 2000 image as the “maverick” who’d reach across the aisle and dare utter words that were often less than worshipful of his own party. It reminds voters of the 2000 McCain:

I fight to restore the pride and principles of our party. We were elected to change Washington, and we let Washington change us. We lost the trust of the American people when some Republicans gave in to the temptations of corruption. We lost their trust when rather than reform government, both parties made it bigger. We lost their trust when instead of freeing ourselves from a dangerous dependence on foreign oil, both parties and Senator Obama passed another corporate welfare bill for oil companies. We lost their trust, when we valued our power over our principles.

We’re going to change that. We’re going to recover the people’s trust by standing up again for the values Americans admire. The party of Lincoln, Roosevelt and Reagan is going to get back to basics.

The full text of the speech is here.

McCain offered various specifics and contrasted his stand with what he contended were the stands of Obama. And delivery?

John McCain is often to stirring oratory what Ritalin is to hyperactivity. And it was notable that on some of the cable networks some GOPers were echoing a comment some commenters made on the Wall Street Journal site: that oratory doesn’t matter in elections. In other words: this wasn’t a speech that will be played for future generations for its news content, style or delivery. A few of the comments:

–Who else thinks we should just flip the ticket…

–Pale in comparison to (Vice Presidential nominee Gov. Sarah Palin) last night. Looks old…sounds old.

–I liked what he said and believe he actually believes and means it. I don’t vote on the basis of skilled oratory before huge crowds - that’s not a job requirement (unless you’re running for Hollywood)

–After McCain’s speech — which was disjointed and I think a real disappointment for the delegates — it is clear why he chose Palin: he’s running against Bush and Republicans in Congress almost as much as Obama. It will be very interesting to see how this flys in the press and how Obama/Biden approach it.

–McCain is not the speech maker but he is the person to lead our country. Obama is a Marxist and will destroy our country with his tax and spend policies. McCain asks what we can do for our country and Obama tells people what he is going to make the country do for them.McCain is tested and Obama is not. McCain will win.

But the question is: what did McCain have to do and did he do it?

He had to nurture the party unity that quickly coalesced after Palin’s stemwinding red meat speech to delegates — but he had to reach out to moderates and independents who now perceive him as becoming anything but someone who could reach across the aisle. And he had to show that if he wins he’s not going to be Bush Lite.

He began that process with this speech. So now the questions are whether he was successful and whether he’ll sustain this apparent reaching out…or whether the campaign will settle on another “base mobilization” election aimed a whipping up emotions to get the party faithful to the polls to vote against someone or a hot button issue rather than for what a candidate advocates or proposes. A move towards polarization or a move towards more respectful political coalition building?

UPDATE: Here’s a video of McCain’s speech:
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UPDATE II: A blunt assessment made on MSNBC by former Bush speechwriter and adviser Michael Gerson:

The policy in the speech was rather typical for a Republican. Pretty disappointing. It didn’t do a lot of outreach to moderates and independents on issues that they care about. It talked about issues like drilling and school choice which was really speaking to the converted. I think that was a missed opportunity.

HERE’S A COMPREHENSIVE SAMPLING OF MAINSTREAM MEDIA AND WEBLOG REACTION:

Media:

--The Washington Post:

Arizona Sen. John McCain sought to wrest the change mantle from Sen. Barack Obama in his acceptance speech tonight at the Republican National Convention, appealing for an end to Washington’s partisan rancor and casting himself as someone who has never forgotten that the first mission of elected officials is to serve the public.

“I don’t work for a party,” the Republicans presidential nominee declared before tens of thousands of cheering, flag waving delegates and party officials. “I don’t work for a special interest. I don’t work for myself. I work for you.”

McCain’s staccato speaking style is a far cry from the smooth, soaring rhetoric of Obama, but tonight he seemed to work to modulate his speech to add emphasis and emotion to his words. The speech, delivered before a gathering of his party’s conservative base, also largely avoided the sort of red-meat rhetoric that might have whipped the live audience into a frenzy but alienate swing voters, who were clearly the target of the address.

But in boasting of his choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, McCain declared: “Let me offer an advance warning to the old, big spending, do nothing, me first, country second Washington crowd: change is coming.”

–Los Angeles Times:

Tonight was a moment McCain has long sought, overcoming complaints by some party members that he is too much of a political maverick, too willing to work with Democrats, and not conservative enough.

But McCain will try to turn those attributes into positives.

“The constant partisan rancor that stops us from solving these problems isn’t a cause; it’s a symptom,” McCain said. “It’s what happens when people go to Washington to work for themselves and not you.

“Again and again, I’ve worked with members of both parties to fix problems that need to be fixed. That’s how I will govern as president. I will reach out my hand to anyone to help me get this country moving again. I have that record and the scars to prove it,” he said. “Sen. Obama does not.”

In his speech, McCain repeated many of the points he has made in the months of campaigning. He proudly described himself as a maverick who opposed corruption, and noted that he had backed the Iraq war and an increase in U.S. troops to bring security. He called for educational reform, low taxes, spending discipline, open markets and, above all, energy independence — including offshore oil drilling.

–New York Times:

Senator John McCain, the former prisoner of war whose bid for the White House appeared in complete collapse just one year ago, accepted the Republican presidential nomination Thursday with a pledge to move the nation beyond “partisan rancor” and narrow self-interest in a speech in which he markedly toned down the blistering attacks on Barack Obama that had filled the first nights of his convention.

Standing in the center of an arena here, surrounded by thousands of Republican delegates, Mr. McCain firmly signaled that he intended to seize the mantle of change Mr. Obama claimed in his own unlikely bid for his party’s nomination.

…..With his speech, Mr. McCain laid out the broad outlines of his general election campaign. He sought to move from a convention marked by an intense effort to reassure the party base to an appeal to a broader general election audience that polling suggests has turned sharply on Republicans and President Bush. He invoked, in one of the most emotional moments of the night, his struggles as a prisoner of war in Vietnam.

Mr. McCain also returned to what has been his signature theme as a presidential candidate, including in his unsuccessful 2000 campaign: that he is a politician prepared to defy his own party. He used the word “fight” 43 times during of the speech, as he sought to present himself as the insurgent he was known as before the primaries, when he veered to the right.

–USA Today:

Although the positions of Obama and the Democratic Party came under criticism, McCain’s address generally lacked harsh attacks or strongly partisan language. Instead, he focused on the actions he would take as president.

There were a few exceptions.

” I’m not running for president because I think I’m blessed with such personal greatness that history has anointed me to save our country in its hour of need,” he said. “My country saved me, and I cannot forget it, and I will fight for her for as long as I draw breath, so help me God,” McCain said.

“You know, I’ve been called a maverick…sometimes it’s meant as a compliment and sometimes it’s not,” McCain told the convention. “What it really means is I understand who I work for.

“I don’t work for a party. I don’t work for a special interest. I don’t work for myself. I work for you.”

McCain mentioned President Bush only once — early in the speech, when he thanked Bush for his actions in the days after the 9/11 terror attacks.

Weblogs:

–James Joyner:

McCain continued a strategy that I’ve disagreed with but that has gotten him this far in building so much around his Vietnam experience. His repeated professions of love for his country, accompanied by chants of USA! USA! USA! put me in mind of the Olympics. As I keep reminding myself, though, I’m not the target audience.

McCain’s speech wasn’t as funny as Sarah Palin’s and his delivery wasn’t as good as Obama’s. Despite having delivered big speeches, including convention speeches, for years, he seemed to have difficulty dealing with unexpected applause.

He’s not selling himself as an orator, though. He did what he had to do: Delivered a competent speech, contrasting his service and experience with that of his opponent, while emphasizing that he understands the need to deal with the country’s problems. The speech won’t generate a groundswell of support but will likely both steady the base and appeal to moderates.

–The Huffington Post’s Joseph Romm explores McCains 10 “energy lies.”

–Andrew Sullivan did some must read live blogging. Here’s his conclusion in two posts. First, this:

Quite a deflation after the drama of last night with the sportscaster-governor. It made me realize how much I am still fond of this guy. And also clearer about why this is not his moment. The specifics were very vague, and the entire presentation based on biography, nostalgia and a kind of strained, exhausted mildness. His performance at Saddleback was much, much better. He seemed very tired to me.

Then, later, this:

I’m sure conservatism will one day recover - because it is right about the main issues: government needs to be kept in its place, taxes should be low and budgets balanced, individuals should be able to pursue their dreams as free of government control as possible, families do matter and need to be free from government interference, free markets and enterprise are the only guarantees of prosperity, moral choices - and their consequences - should be faced by the individual responsibly, and we have to be strong in our defense and prudent in foreign policy. This is the conservatism I still believe in. Deep down, I’m sure McCain does too. But it will only come from the ashes of this fundamentalist, mean-spirited, parochial, arrogant, big-spending, irresponsible shambles of a party. We have to repudiate the party of Rove and Abramoff and Romney and Dobson and Cheney and Bush II.

Burn it down and start over.

–Glenn Reynolds:

MCCAIN’S SPEECH: Not bad. But, like Obama, he was overshadowed — Obama by Bill Clinton, McCain by Sarah Palin.

–Hugh Hewitt:

In a strong speech that crescendoed to a stirring close, Senator McCain laid out a classically conservative series of policy objectives, with a large emphasis on education reform –a very smart priority fore the fall campaign. And his pledge to shake the spending culture of Washington to its roots is as sincere as it is overdue.

McCain’s rhetorical stride, always steady from his gracious-to-Obama beginning through his response to scattered hecklers –”Please don’t be diverted by the ground noise and the static”– gained momentum when he turned to energy and then beyond that to the war,

….The contrast between McCain and Obama is so sharp, the vast gulf between the former’s sacrifice, service and experience and the latter’s extravagant sense of self so wide, that there is every reason to believe McCain.

–Snowflakes In Hell:

I thought McCain’s speech was good, but not outstanding. As senators go, I can listen to him without wanting to gouge my eardrums out. …He played the experience card tonight to Palin’s vigor and youth, which was probably the right balance to strike. His speech was much heavier on policy. McCain ended his speech by describing his transformation from a self-centered fighter jock to a selfless servant of his country through his capture and torture. It’s a compelling story. McCain is definitely not the best speech giver in the world, but he was good tonight. I think the Republican Party is in a much better position to head into November than it was a week ago.

–Firedoglake:

Unselfish? Putting country first? Whom does he think he’s kidding?

For the last year, we have watched McCain sell out his principles on issue after issue, including, of all things, his opposition to torture. He’s changed positions on virtually every policy for which he once claimed to stand above others. He’s pandered to and now totally caved to the religious right, extremists he once abhored as a threat to the nation. The media, who once worshipped his candor and openness now condemn his evasiveness and intemperate, robotic statements. One by one, they’ve awakened to find a man they no longer recognize.

He’s turned over his campaign to the same unprincipled smear artists who slimed him so that they could slime his opponent. And to help in that effort, he’s asking his unqualified running mate, a self-described “pit bull with lipstick” to do the dirty work.

His campaign, now stripped of all integrity, and in complete denial about his responsibility for supporting the last eight years of failed policies, has become little more than pumped up self praise, relentless narcissism over a sense of honor he no longer displays, while smearing Obama’s character and lying about his energy and tax proposals. His strategy has been reduced to a Nixonian cultural war coupled with Rovean partisanship designed to divide the nation he claims to love, all as he cynically promises to end the “rancor” in Washington.

--The Seminal:

The content of this very same speech, lays out a platform that features no significant departures from the policies of the Bush administration.

It’s almost laughable. McCain preaches change, but then on issue after issue - from school vouchers and school choice to health care to oil-centric energy policy to aggressive neo-con foreign policy to tax cuts for businesses and the wealthy to a basic denial of the economic suffering of the American working class to playing on fears of terrorism to Cold War rhetoric on Russia to a good vs. evil view of the world to the U.S. mission to spread freedom and democracy around the globe - it’s all just more of the McSame.

So now that the conventions are over and it’s time to get down-and-dirty, America is left with a quite simple choice. Do we want the party that has been in power and is promising to reform itself, even though it can’t come up with any new ideas? Or do we want true change? I believe that the next two months are going to make this choice painfully obvious to the American people.

–Powerline:

It was flat at times. McCain seemed almost to be going through the motions when he talked specifics (sort of) on domestic policy. His recitation of specific hardship cases in various swing states struck me as lame, and he didn’t really clear make it clear what he was doing to “fight for” these individuals. (As an aside, one of the cases was the family of Matthew Stanley of New Hampshire. When I was with McCain, he left the reporters on the back of the bus to call that family). And, though McCain perked up when he got to foreign policy, even here he wasn’t as compelling as I expected. Thus, in many ways, Barack Obama probably gave a better speech, qua speech, last week.

But with all that said, I think McCain may well have connected better with the American people on an emotional level than Obama did. And nothing matters more than that.

For McCain seemed more real and more sincere than Obama, and he seemed to be speaking more from the heart. This was certainly true when he brought his speech to a rousing close with a humble recitation of his experiences in Vietnam (including the concession that “they broke me”), followed by his seamless transition to an impassioned appeal for service to country.

–Political Scientist Steven Taylor (one of TMV’s favorites) did live blogging. His conclusion:

Basic assessment: It was a pretty run of the mill speech. I am not sure that he did much more than present basic biographical boilerplate along with basic GOP talking points. Aside from not mentioning Bush by name, I am not sure that he did very much to tell us why he wouldn’t be Bush III, which, as I have noted, what I think he needed to do.

--Red State:

John McCain is a great talker, but not a great speaker - he’s the polar opposite of Obama, who gives a tremendous speech but does not converse and answer questions so well. Those of us who have grown to know McCain’s speaking style well over the years did not have great expectations for this speech. This is his weak suit. He was inevitably going to be a bit of a letdown from Wednesday night. Moreover, this was not the speech I would have written for McCain, were I advising him.

Finally, McCain may not have given a great speech, but he ended spectacularly. Judging by their Denver Convention, the Democrats do not know how to end speeches anymore, not the way Teddy Kennedy did in 1980; Obama’s strongest section was the homage to Martin Luther King, but he kept on going after that, and a week later I cannot for the life of me remember how his speech ended. Bill and Hillary’s speeches each rambled on for several minutes after what should have been their endings. McCain’s closing, after recounting the lessons he’d learned in Vietnam (and contrasting himself with Obama’s self-absorption and self-aggrandizement for a life of decidedly mediocre attainments) was tremendous, and positively Churchillian, stressing the single thing about McCain that Republicans like the most, even for all his bipartisanship and his apostasies from conservative orthodoxy - he’s a fighter. It may not read all that well on the page, but after the long hushed recitation of McCain’s POW years, it stirred the crowd to its feet:

–My DD’s Jonathan Singer:

It’s possible that this speech is the inverse of Sarah Palin’s last night — boring for the crowd inside, but more palatable for the general viewership. I say possible, though, for a reason; McCain’s delivery was decidedly underwhelming, and the staging by his campaign — particularly the lime Jell-O green screen that shone behind McCain during the beginning of the speech, only to turn to a color that at least to the television viewer might be described as blue raspberry — was similarly unsuccessful.

McCain certainly tried to embrace the “change” label. Will it work for a candidate who hugged George W. Bush both figuratively and literally in recent years, voting at least 90 percent of the time for the most unpopular President in the history of polling? Color me unimpressed. But we shall wait and see…

–Conservative Josh Trevino has another post (written from the convention floor) that needs to be read in full. Here’s just a small part of it:

McCain’s speech was more than a mere declaration of independence. It was, ever so subtly, a rebuke to the party that rejected him eight years past. “We lost the trust of the American people when some Republicans gave in to the temptations of corruption,” he said, “We lost their trust when rather than reform government, both parties made it bigger … We lost their trust when we valued our power over our principles.” Those who listened understood. A McCain Administration in the past eight years would not have led the party to the disasters of the present. A McCain Administration in the past eight years would not have had Republicans apologizing for their (absent) standard-bearer. Now is the chance to make amends. Now is the second chance to get it right.

In making this speech this evening, John McCain accomplished so much more than Barack Obama did in Denver last week. McCain, tonight, mentioned Obama six times. Obama, last week, mentioned McCain twenty-five times. Obama lamented America’s failures. McCain called upon America’s greatness. Obama declared, “If John McCain wants to have a debate about who has the temperament and judgment to serve as the next commander-in-chief, that’s a debate I’m ready to have.” John McCain won that debate, not by replying directly, but with the stirring example of his own life. Barack Obama is focused upon John McCain, and John McCain is focused upon — well, America.

Perhaps most important, John McCain set forth the choice between the parties in stark either/or terms, with only the common ground of our American allegiance between them. That the Republican option in the comparisons was not the George W. Bush option was, as they say, a feature, not a bug.

–And another must read from the LA Time’s mega-blogger Andrew Malcolm. Some excerpts:

McCain’s 53-minute remarks, interrupted both by applause and three protestors, were all about Country First, the week’s theme. But also not surprising for a 72-year-old ex-pilot blown out of the sky 40 years ago by a missile the size of a phone pole. With numerous broken bones, he had 66 months and countless beatings to think about life and his country.

“I fell in love with my country when I was a prisoner in someone else’s,” McCain admitted.

It was one of the most heartfelt — and powerful — lines from a man who like many of his generation genuinely does not like to talk about himself, especially if it involves war. But he did tonight, telling….

…his story in more detail than he does when campaigning. It was touching and effective.

Near the end, McCain really got into it. So did the crowd. Its members began cheering, drowning him out, as if pushing him forward.

His rhetorical cadence increased. McCain continued through the closing paragraphs of his speech, moving his badly-mended arms back and forth and back and forth in that weirdly wooden way that still looks painful.

“If you find faults with our country,” McCain urged, “make it a better one. If you’re disappointed with the mistakes of government, join its ranks and work to correct them.”

Then, he really got going. “Fight for what’s right with our country…Fight for the ideals and character of a free people…Fight for our children’s future. Fight for justice and opportunity for all.”

The crowd loved it. And him. And the confetti came. And the red, white and blue balloons by the thousands.

Earlier in the speech, though it was a different story. McCain was no Sarah Palin, the 44-year-old mother of five who thrilled the crowd last night with her smalltown family story and sharp jibes at the Democratic ticket. McCain’s early delivery was herky-jerky, mechanical. He hit the economy hard, taking only eight paragraphs to identify with the afflicted….

–Asymmetric Opinion gives 10 points in a list on McCain’s speech and concludes:

The whole convention’s purpose was to remind the people that they have a choice between a dedicated public servant and legitimate hero and, essentially, a zero. Republicans to nation: “Are you crazy, America? The choice is obvious!”

–Open Left’s Matt Stoller includes some live blogging which includes this:

… McCain is talking about how he was worked over by his captors and how his brother POWs were there for him and encouraged him to fight for his country.

… This is boring. Bring back Palin!

… The crowd is cheering but their heart isn’t in it. Not enough hatred towards Democrats and coded racial slurs. Bring back Palin!

–Booman Tribune:

He’s the worst orator I’ve ever seen win a nomination of a major party. Dan Quayle gave much better speeches. Lloyd Bentsen gave better speeches. Joe Lieberman gave better speeches. Ralph Nader gives a better speech. John McCain is terrible and he’s boring. I had to watch some of the post-debate coverage to even learn that he allegedly broke with the Bush administration and his colleagues in the Capitol Building. I had the sound on during his speech. I was looking at the screen. I didn’t absorb any message at all except that John McCain was once captured in a war and that he suffered terribly as a result. He didn’t even manage to offend me. He didn’t even manage to make me feel uncomfortable. He was simply there…on the screen…mouthing words that signified nothing.

–Doc Strangelove:

John McCain gave a halting, uninspired, and pedestrian speech tonight. He delivered the speech because he had to. It was expected of him. But the Maverick could not marry the right wing of his party tonight. They never liked each other, and tonight the separation was final.

In forcing the selection of Sarah Palin on the ticket upon John McCain, the religious ideologues who now own the Republican party had taken charge of the presidential campaign. Yesterday they declared, through Sarah Palin, their intention to wage a culture war. But tonight it became apparent that John McCain was the first casualty of that war. His party had moved past him. They humiliated him in front of millions by reserving the two biggest cheers of the night for Sarah Palin, the number two on the Republican ticket - their chosen culture warrior.

Perhaps, in the end, tonight’s speech was a salute to an old soldier. John McCain has demonstrated great courage in his life - he has proven his character beyond doubt. But the presidency is not a lifetime award for a life lived valiantly - the presidency is a job for today, not a reward for the past. So, as his party looks past him to wage their coming culture war, John McCain’s own candidacy for the presidency will be sacrificed. John McCain’s nominating Convention was used to launch the culture war - at the expense of his candidacy. The best outcome for the culture warriors is a defeat in 2008, and a revamped campaign in 2012 with their man or woman at the top of the ticket.

–Mark Nickolas’ Blog has some of truly strong negative media reaction to the speech. A tiny taste:

Update (11:50 pm ET): Interesting…just found a reference by Michael Gerson on NPR’s website last week where he said “If you do a mediocre convention speech, you may never get to give an inaugural speech.” That must be why he slammed the speech. And he’s right.

Update (11:43 pm ET): Jeff Toobin just called it the worst speech ever from a presidential nominee. Anderson Cooper said they must have sent all the speechwriters over to Palin’s room for the last week.

–Political Wire (a great political site):

However, the most striking thing about the speech was the lack of specifics of what he wants to do as president. When Obama was criticized for not talking specifics, he made sure to dedicate a large part of his acceptance speech to specifics. A McCain presidency seems to be mostly about his character and a few tired Republican ideas, such as school choice, cutting foreign aid and the new favorite, “drill, baby, drill.”\

…But no matter the content, McCain had serious delivery problems with this speech. Starting with the awful lime green background (that later turned to blue) and continuing through McCain’s difficulties reading from the teleprompter, the speech was very disjointed and hard to follow. To top it off, the crowd reaction at the end of the speech seemed forced and staged, almost like delegates were reacting to flashing “applause” signs at the side of the stage.

Overall, it was a very mediocre performance. I’m not sure it got the job done.

–Michelle Malkin:

My bottom line on the speech:

McCain is McCain. He was who he’s always been tonight: a war hero with an unabashed love of country who acknowledges his flaws, gives too much benefit of the doubt to his political opponents, and bends over backwards to reach out to the other side of the aisle in misguidedly mistaking partisanship for evil. But he’s also a man who has taken many risks, desires victory over surrender in the War on Terror, and, after dissing the GOP base time and again, stands beside a vice presidential nominee who breathes new life and hope into grass-roots, outside-the-Beltway conservatism.

–Angry Democrat at the Daily Kos thinks the speech was good for the Democrats and gives three reasons why:

Here is why McCain’s speech is good news for our side.

1. We finally have a candidate who can define the opposition before the other side define’s him. Chaining McCain to Bush has worked, which is why McCain had to repudiate much of Bush’s record. I hope Obama will continue to define McCain first.

2. McCain tacitly admitted that his party has not governed well the last 8 years. This now enables him, in theory, to run against Bush’s record rather than on Bush’s record. This also risks pissing off the substantial portion of the Republican base who feel Bush has done a good job. All we have to do now to counter is point out that John McCain and the Republicans have had 8 years to get things right, and have screwed things up royally. And here’s the kicker…how can America trust the people who caused the problems to fix them? That should be an easy sell to the American people.

3. McCain is playing on Obama’s turf, claiming he is the one that can bring change to Washington. This means we have won the battle over the change issue. John McCain has given up on whatever message he was trying to convey and is answering our message for change…with..our message for change. And again this will be easy to counter, we simply have to point out that Mccain and the Republicans had 8 years to get things right, they blew it, and that they are not credible change agents.