John McCain's Remarkable Admission
by Todd Beeton, Fri Sep 12, 2008 at 09:23:15 AM EDT
The Obama campaign knows that John McCain gave them a gift last night in the candidate forum when he said:
"Listen, mayors have the toughest job, I think, in America. It's easy for me to go to Washington and, frankly, be somewhat divorced from the day-to-day challenges people have."
As if on cue, McCain essentially conceded the Obama campaign's point that John McCain is out of touch with every day voters. In fact, it's the very theme of Obama's new post-9/11 offensive, including this new ad.
To pile on, Team Obama convened a conference call this morning to make sure this little comment didn't go unnoticed by the media.
Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) told reporters on the call that is "a critical comment by John McCain that evidences why he really isn't going to bring change.""I have been with John McCain in Washington, and I think what he said reflects the reality of many people," Durbin said. "But even worse is the situation that his economic policies that he wants to continue with George Bush have failed. If he would, you know, be in the real world of American families in New York, Illinois or Florida, he would understand that."
Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.): "I think he said it because he knows, in fact, he's removed from the day-to-day challenges people have faced in their lives. And you see it manifest itself in the thing when he says, you know, I don't use a computer. I don't use e-mail. There's a whole economic revolution going on. And it fundamentally changed the economy, and fundamentally changed people's lives, and he is removed from it."
And Barack used McCain's admission on the stump in New Hampshire today.
Obama telegraphed a harder tone today, and his speech in New Hampshire begins with a somewhat more extended set of contrasts with McCain -- though nothing close to the biting personal sarcasm of his new ad."A few weeks ago John McCain said that the economy was making great progress under George Bush, that it was fundamentally sound, and that in fact we were better off in consequence of the Bush presidency," he told the crowd in Dover.
"John McCain just last night, he said, and I'm quoting here, 'It's easy for me to go to Washington, and frankly, be somewhat divorced from the everyday challenges people have,'" Obama said.
"Maybe from where he and George Bush sit, maybe things do look fundamentally sound," he said. "Maybe they're that out of touch."
To me this doesn't feel as significant as the George H.W. Bush check out counter scanner moment, which is what the Obama campaign is clearly hoping to emulate here. I hope the "out of touch" meme catches on but so far it's not hitting me in the gut. Is it hitting you as particularly effective? More important, is it hitting voters out there? One thing I know would help: get an ad up featuring McCain's admission to being out of touch in his own words. Now. I'm sure they're working on it.
Tags: 2008 Presidential election, Barack Obama, John McCain (all tags)
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