Nice try, Walnuts. (re: debates, suspended campaign, other nonsense)

[jane_pippin]

For a good part of today I've been reading comments here and elsewhere in which people try to figure out why McCain wants to cancel debates, suspend his campaign, and so forth. I think some, not all, but some people give McCain way too much credit as far as his motivations go (like he's trying to pull some double-secret gotcha on Obama or something nutty like that). I don't think it's that complicated, so permit me to come out of my lurking hidey-hole to offer my two cents (based entirely on speculation, armchair psychology and guesswork, sure, and maybe it's too late to post this and we've all moved on anyway, but what the hell--it'll be fun.)

The short version is I think he's desperate and crazy.

And for the long version the reasoning is:

He's not doing well. The press is all "in the tank" for Obama, meaning they're sort of almost calling McCain on his bullshit. Obama is pulling ahead in several polls. I think the debates are about to be Nixon-Kennedy 2--HDTV Boogaloo, and McCain, in the depths of his lizard brain, just might feel it. Obama is Mr. Calm, McCain is...well to put it kindly, not. Obama, just this past week has been declared the more Presidential Seeming of the two by George Will of all people. McCain likely doesn't take kindly to that (and similar assessments) either.

So how does Cranky Old McCain get attention away from St. Barry and back on him? How does he--in his view--look presidential in this crisis (and get out of having to go face to face with Obama)? How does he attempt to make Obama look bad? By saying "My friends, this is more important than politics. We have to lock ourselves in congress till we get it figured out and if you don't agree to pull all your ads and stop talking shit about me, Barack, then you don't care about America." I think he thinks that appearing to put politics aside and appearing to do something is all it takes to shift the conversation from "man, is McCain fucking up or what?" to "man, McCain is a total patriot Maverick and he'll lock himself in congress to get things done for FIVE AND A HALF YEARS if he has to. Go McCain!"

Except it backfired and everyone just thinks he's MORE insane and unable to handle situations/multiple issues (debate, colossal crisis on Wall Street, etc, etc,--you know, like presidents have to do from time to time). It's hilarious from the guy who hasn't actually voted on anything since April and doesn't know diddly about economics, and as recently as what? last week? thought the fundamentals of our economy are strong. He's got nothin. He never had anything. He's all crazy talk and ambition, and will talk any kind of crazy ass nonsense, make crazy ass declarations (NO DEBATE OR THE ECONOMY DIES!!!111!) that he thinks will work to win. But it won't work--it just makes him seem more crazy.

So there you go. Nice try, Walnuts. See you on Friday--I already bought my beer for the show.

[PeaceNikki]

1. w00t!

K&MR :patriot:

[jane_pippin]

9. Ha! I like your little sig line image

I was thinking Cotton Hill/Peggy Hill, but Grampa/Maude is great :)

[PeaceNikki]

14. Peggy Hill has far too much sense and far more class than Palin.

She is a Boggle champion, after all. Maude captures her radical theology, hate for homosexuals and the fact that she thinks Jesus will return in her lifetime.

Cotton Hill is a good comparison to McCain because he got his shins "blowed off by a Japanman's machine gun" in combat, but Grandpa Simpson captures the essence of McCain's dementia fairly well.

[jpgray]

2. That certainly would fit all the loopy-as-hell behavior from their campaign

John's weathervane-in-a-washing-machine style is really starting to wear thin even with the most jaded media-types.

[PeaceNikki]

3. It's unprecedented to cancel debates.

Debates went on during the Iran Hostage Crisis, right after the USS Cole was attacked, etc. And this crazy fucker can't do it because of a fucking $700 billion bailout hearing?!

Bullshit. He's losing, he's desperate and he's fucked.

[jpgray]

4. This just seems like such a huge gamble on his part--it fits in with the Palin pick

In this case he's trying to show stability and gravitas, but that's after he's spent the last few weeks flailing and stomping about over the same financial crisis. With Palin he picked a golly-gee narrative candidate with zero real experience after lambasting Obama for being exactly that. They're playing the most extreme version of shortball I've ever seen in a presidential campaign. He's risking complete ridicule for a momentary bounce in the polls--it makes no long-term sense.

[PeaceNikki]

6. Is the GOP just really not interested in cleaning up the mess

this administration made and letting him take these risks? There are a lot of things that I don't get about this campaign either.

[Jennicut]

7. I totally agree, he is trying WAY too hard all the time.

He tries to come off as a "maverick" of the Rethug party but instead comes of as simply insane. The Palin pick, the outright and obvious attack ads, and now this suspending campaign thing. He is not stable and was completely taken aback by this financial meltdown. He has been trying to come up with a good response all week long and just couldn't do it so he decided to play politics and pretend he was above it all and a hero for rushing to Washington. Meanwhile he is not even on the committees that work out the legislation being decided and he can't seem to handle multiple things at once. He is needed to come back for a friggin vote, that is all. He is flipping out. That is good for us.

[jpgray]

8. I can't tell if it's rubbing off from his spear-carriers onto him, or if he's the instigator

The Schmidt/Davis tagteam has been utterly tone-deaf as well, with their "blame the media" approach to every issue in the campaign. The NYT direct call-out was a completely through-the-looking-glass moment. What did they expect that to accomplish?

[Jennicut]

11. Well is you bring the shit heads in, the crap rubs onto you

So I think its partly he is a hothead and prone to rash decisions but also that he brought in the Karl Rove boys and this is what he ends up with. It worked in 2000 and 2004 but people see through it now and its old hat. Plus, they lied too fast and right away and way to much. Casual lying is better and easier to slip past people but such overt lying is seen through right away.

[enigmatic]

13. They don't have anything else

Palin is bombing in any kind of interview situation; in a televised debate, she's going to look like an idiot. The McCain campaign can't spin what's going to happen to her; nobody is going to believe it.

McCain can't do debates anymore; he's in mental/physical decline and it's going to be glaringly obvious. That's why they cuff off access to the press; they don't have any choice.

[Window]

5. That's it in a nutshell. Well done.

Peace:thumbsup:


:kick:

[jane_pippin]

10. Thanks!

And now for bed time. I'll need the rest to be ready for the epic amounts of beer I'll need to consume on Friday. :D

[Erin Elizabeth]

12. I can tell you my friends who aren't political junkies

(and some are undecideds, but I'm working on them) think this was just one of the most bone-headed moves they've ever seen. They are decidedly NOT impressed, in fact, one guy said it makes McCain look "really weak."

You're right, it's not some super evil strategy. It's desperation. It's FLOP SWEAT.

[jane_pippin]

17. Really? Oh that's good to know. Most everyone I know

is a political junkie, and Dems/Liberals to boot--even at work for the most part--so I'm in something of a bubble. That's interesting to hear.

[Erin Elizabeth]

30. Think about a low-information voter

like my friend Kristie. She can tell you all about the latest news on Lindsey Lohan or Amy Winehouse, but politically, all she hears is "I'm suspending my campaign."

It looks baaaaad. Some of the people I know actually thought he was dropping out of the race. (My friends are delightful idiots and I love them!)

[EstimatedProphet]

15. I think you're absolutely right

I don't think there is some grand Machivellian scheme behind this. McCain is desperate right now. He's in an election that looked like it would be a cakewalk when he started because of the Repub noise machine, and now he can't lay back like he thought he would at first.

Plus, he's crazy.

[jane_pippin]

21. Exactly. It's like he can't believe he has to actually work for it.

And he doesn't know what to do when things don't go his way. It's scary, but I don't think he has a snowball's chance in hell as far as winning goes, so that makes the scary funny.

[jakem]

16. LOL! HDTV Boogaloo-

and 'walnuts'... priceless!

:rofl:

[jane_pippin]

19. Heh. I can't take credit for

Walnuts. There's a YouTube video you have to watch (I don't have the link handy but a search should bring it up quickly) and some blogs have been calling him that too. I think it's hilarious.

But HDTV Boogaloo..well. :D And who knows, maybe it will be true. I don't have the HDTV, but my guess is it won't be kind to McCain.

[jakem]

22. well, his best means of communication may be past us-

[dolo amber]

27. Walnuts!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3X8dLXvqu8k

[terrya]

18. Excellent analysis

Thank you for posting this. Spot-on.

[jane_pippin]

26. Thanks Terrya!

:hi:

[TornadoTN]

20. This is a clear attempt to postpone (cancel) the VP debates

This isn't about Friday's debate, not in the least. Since there is such a small window for the debates to occur, canceling one will mean sacrificing another. Do the math. This is exactly where this is headed.

[jane_pippin]

23. Even if that's the case--and who knows, it could be--it doesn't make him

look less desperate and nuts, and it doesn't make him look like a leader who wants to clen up this mess. It makes him and Palin look terrified to have to actually debate and like they'll do anything to get out of it.

[TornadoTN]

28. I agree - but its all they have at this point

His campaign has been bizarre to say the least. Nothing that the old fool does surprises me anymore because at this point, they have to throw blindly trying to find something that will hit a bullseye. He's been exposed as the utterly incompetent and empty suit that he is - and the pick of Palin is becoming a giant albatross hanging from his neck.

[Earth Bound Misfit]

24. We have a WINNER!!!!!

[PeaceNikki]

25. I think that's not the primary motive - just gravy.

[voteearlyvoteoften]

29. Goin to DC to save Cindy's $ and fire people

McOnTheRopes

[Neutralator]

31. He only knows to be a "rebel", "underdog". Has no clue being even a Leader (forget being PRESIDENT)

[PeaceNikki]

32. I have to k&r this all over again now that the ratings have gone the way of the dodo