Jim Geraghty figured out why John McCain is trying to silence anybody and everybody that hits the Democrats hard; he’s running very hard to the mushy middle as Mr. Clean. 16 years ago, that might have worked, because that is precisely how his BFF Russ Feingold overcame a massive money and name recognition disadvantage to first win a 3-way primary battle and then win his Senate seat. However, this isn’t 1992, and frankly, most of the country isn’t Wisconsin. That mushy middle doesn’t really exist; at best it represents 10% of the electorate, and it’s been shrinking every election.
Sean Hackbarth pointed out a potentially-significant flaw in McCain’s plan; he’s not been consistent on the lack of use of the Wright-Obama connection. Actually, let’s drop the “potentially”; it’s certain tha McCain’s former friends in the LeftStreamMedia will use that inconsistency against him to further shrink the mushy middle.
Moreover, every open step toward the mushy middle, especially in the form of a repudiation of the GOP base (or at least what, up until recently, was the base), further weakens him in the eyes of said base. This specific case reinforced my opinion that the current “leadership” of the GOP really wants to be a permanent minority center-left party. I’m all-but-ready to abandon the See-Dub plan and follow doubleplusundead in saying, “Screw McCain.”
When I think of “mushy middle” I’m thinking policy-wise. McCain hasn’t moved to the middle so much as he’s been there for years. He’s trying to be more “kinder and gentler” than Bush 41 and out compassion Bush 43.
It’s a risk for him to alienate his base when he’s not doing enough to activate a potentially new base of independents (ie. he’s not doing enough online like Obama).
Conservatives had their chance in the primaries and couldn’t get behind a candidate.
And the idea that McCain is center-left is silly. Old school Rockefeller Republicans would think he’s too extreme. He’s calling for tax cuts and spending cuts.
The timing is semantics. While it has been a slow creep to the left for McCain, it’s only vital now.
I agree we blew our chance. I wish I knew how we blew it; I’d be rich enough to start a think tank for you to run.
Do note I didn’t say McCain was center-left; I said the leadership is center-left. McCain, while advocating a single tax cut and some spending cuts, is otherwise emblematic of that.
Name names. What leaders are “center-left?” Trent Lott’s gone. Boehner? More like pro-status quo. McCain’s controlling the RNC so to say they’re center-left implies McCain is.
The big tax cut GOP candidates, Romney, Rudy, and Fred, didn’t fare well. While I love tax cuts there comes a time when they have politically diminishing returns. Cutting incomes taxes when they’re 70% is a lot easier than then they’re 38%.
How did McCain win the nomination? Easy. Conservatives were split between too many candidates. Most thought McCain was dead. Only one, Romney, actually went after him but lost the credibility game. McCain wins New Hampshire, chugs away, and outlasts everyone else.
Now, where’s my think tank. ;-)