A phone call from John McCain
John McCain called today. We recorded the message:
I’m calling today to personally ask for your vote and make a pledge to you. As your president, I promise to lead our nation and our party as a Ronald Reagan conservative. I’ll lower your taxes, veto wasteful government spending, and ensure our party returns to the smaller government principles on which it began. I’ll secure our border first before pursuing any other immigration reform. I’ll appoint conservative judges, like Justices Alito and Roberts. I will protect the sanctity of life and I have a 24 year record to prove it. This is my commitment to you.
As you go to the polls consider our greatest challenge as a nation is to defeat a relentless enemy of radical Islamic extremists. My life experience has prepared me better than any other candidate to defeat this enemy. We can and will win this war. Again, this is John McCain and I humbly ask you to vote for me.
Maybe Michael Barone is right and the complaints of conservatives have been heard by McCain. It all sounded pretty convincing — but what’s that word “humbly” doing in there? (It just doesn’t fit, given that McCain’s natural appeal is to old coots who want an SOB as President.)
February 3rd, 2008 at 5:22 pm
“… what’s that word “humbly” doing in there?”
Basic rhetoric, an expected adverb.
Or, his PR people finally got it across that a number of people (well, me anyway) perceive him as not just an SOB but an arrogant SOB with no capability for hearing views not already his own.
February 4th, 2008 at 8:23 am
No, I think it is post-modern irony.
February 4th, 2008 at 8:31 am
It sounds like the best we’re going to get. I could live with this. I’m undecided leaning Romney now, but this would be better than either alternative on the other side, by far. In fact, this would be better than GWB.