This is not a eulogy for John McCain.
If this election continues down the track it’s been on, there will be plenty of time for that come November. In politics, of course, anything can happen, but McCain’s prospects certainly don’t look good right now. Unlike Barack Obama, however, the Arizona senator is not just running for president — he’s running for his entire political legacy.
Consider two former presidential candidates: Al Gore and Bob Dole. In 2000, Gore lost the presidency to former Texas governor and current friend of bunnies George W. Bush. He moved on, however, becoming a crusader for the environment and winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. Bob Dole is a decorated World War II veteran who served 27 years in the Senate, serving as both Minority and Majority Leader for the Republican Party. Now, though, Dole is just the guy who lost to Bill Clinton in the 1996 presidential election.
A decorated war veteran with a long, established Senate career running for president — sound familiar? Given McCain’s age, he, unlike Gore or potentially Obama, likely does not have the time to reinvent his legacy after a loss. Because of this, there is a deeper reason for him to be cognizant of the way his campaign is being run.
If McCain continues his Tom Petty impression and loses this election, historians are going to look back (as historians are prone to do) and wonder why. They’re going to see a number of decisions that are questionable at best: the ill-received campaign suspension, the foolish housing proposal, and the insist focus on Bill Ayers and ACORN instead of the economy. The choice of Sarah Palin now seems like the worst casting this side of the Star Wars prequels (though to her credit, Palin delivers her scripted, tired dialogue much better than Hayden Christensen delivered his).
The most damaging aspect of the campaign, however, may be the crowds at some of his rallies. The screams of “Terrorist!” and “Kill him!” are bound to be remembered, whether or not you can blame the shouts on McCain. Recently, he has made an admirable effort to try and quell the hatred at events, though he also defended his supporters at the last presidential debate, calling them “the most dedicated, patriotic men and women.” But when his campaign centered itself on how Obama “palled around with terrorists” and questions about who he really is, how were the hardcore supporters expected to react? McCain’s campaign is being torn up by the monster he helped to create.
So where does McCain go from here? The recent strategy of harebrained stunts and increasingly desperate attacks is not working. A change in tone certainly wouldn’t hurt his victory chances and would help his political standing. Sure, it’s an uphill climb, but what is there to lose from introducing an actual, well-thought out economic policy? At the Al Smith Dinner last Thursday, McCain gave a speech that was humorous, self-deprecating, and incredibly well-received. It would be great to see that same shift affect the whole campaign. Unfortunately, McCain’s tactics don’t seem to be changing. He and Palin recently started comparing Obama’s economic plan to socialism in their stump speeches. These kinds of distractions are likely to get worse as Election Day nears, and they are simply hurting both the campaign and the perpetrator’s reputation.
With only a few weeks remaining before Election Day, time is running out for the McCain campaign to right itself. What is the Arizona senator’s place in American politics? Will he be the crazy old man who threatened to skip the first presidential debate? The guy who picked a first-term Alaskan governor to be his running mate? The candidate who had supporters turn to racism and hatred rather than accept an Obama presidency? I’m sure McCain is looking for none of the above.
There are definitely better ways to leave a legacy. He could be remembered as a decorated Vietnam veteran, as a long-serving and significant senator, and, yes, maybe even as a maverick. Above all, of course, McCain wants to go down in history as the 44th President of the United States. If that doesn’t come to pass, though, a shred of dignity sure would be a great consolation prize.