McCain Casts Himself as Hero of Financial Crisis

Republican can only win by changing subject from policy to himself
By Gabriel Winant,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 25, 2008 2:00 PM CDT
McCain Casts Himself as Hero of Financial Crisis
Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain leaves the podium after delivering a statement to the traveling press corps in New York, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008.   (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

In parachuting into Washington to "rescue" the $700-billion bailout for Wall Street, John McCain demonstrated again that he wants to make the election about himself, not his politicies, writes Harold Meyerson in the Washington Post. With the beleaguered economy an area where Barack Obama is seen as stronger, McCain suspended his campaign for a bit of personal heroics.

“Self is McCain’s main selling point. He is either the man on horseback riding to the rescue, or he is nothing,” Meyerson notes. “America may be a republic of amnesiacs,” but voters do understand what each party stands for, he argues. And because the public prefers Obama’s approach, McCain’s ploy is to pretend the two candidates “had no differences,” so the voters will have to judge by character alone.
(More John McCain stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X