McCain's Speech: a Big, Fat Airball
Posted by: Chip Hanlon | 09/05/2008 11:15 AM
Is it just me, or could John McCain's speech have been any more worthless last night? I literally could not get through it and ended up tuning out, probably less than half way through based on how long I hear it went on.
I was in the building on Wednesday for Sarah Palin's exciting speech, which I wrote about yesterday, but I am so glad I got out of town and didn't stick around for that mess last night. What a letdown...it's a shame McCain couldn't keep the energy going. Instead of seizing on Palin's magical moment and finishing the convention with a bang, it looked to me like he did his best to pop the balloon.
Suggestion to the Senator: fire your speechwriter, hire Palin's. Or just stand there looking heroic and let her do the talking if that's the best you can do. Ugh...so frustrating...
Re-reading this, let me be the first to update it with one related thought:
Prior to his speech last night, it should be said that McCain had the perfect week: he stole Obama's thunder with the announcement of Palin, handled Gustav beautifully and the mix of convention speakers worked well enough (though they would have been utterly forgetful without Palin's home run). It's just a shame he flopped when his moment came to finish the Dems off. 60 long, tough days ahead...
No, it's just you.
McCain was McCain.
Sarah was Sarah.
Each have their respective roles in this campaign.
Both are better than the alternatives.
I disagree but understand why you feel the speech sucked. It sucked for you because it was not aimed at you. McCain needed to, and I think effectively did, target low propensity Republicans and disaffected Democrats, the last of the herd of "my party left me" Democrats.
Actually, Fired Up, it's not just me...a few friends have already called or emailed this morning saying the same thing. I do hope, however, that you're in the majority and that I'm not, especially since it just came out that 39.4MM people watched the thing in the U.S. (even more than Palin and Obama). What an opportunity...hopefully not a wasted one.
Chip, if you tuned out at the halfway point, you missed the best part. I thought the first 3/4 was painful to watch but he nailed it at the end. When he told the story of his capture in Vietnam, the fact that he is not a great speaker was suspended and the message/story really hit home. However, unless he plans on telling the same story at every campaign event, he should leave the majority of the high profile speaking to Palin.
I totally agree with you Chip. The speech was lackluster at best and contrived at worst. The best part of the whole speech was his POW story, otherwise it was very forgetable.
I agree with Mike, but understand why Chip appears to have seen a lackluster performance. The second half was better than the first. McCain is not that dynamic but appeared more steady, substantive, serious, worldly, proven, solid, steady, mature, and statesman-like than his counterpart.
Hopefully, those "on-the-fence" low propensity voters will be more impressed by the substance offered by McCain than the salesmanship and showmanship of Obama.
McCain speech was slow in the middle, but contrived no, lackluster no. I thought at the last quarter of the speech, he really gained energy and the crowd very much responded. I was moved by it in the end.