A few words about John McCain’s concession speech Tuesday night: classy, touching, pitch-perfect, and just what you’d expect from the honorable senator (if not the angry candidate he sometimes appeared to be). McCain’s closing words bear repeating: “I wish godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president. And I call on all Americans, as I have often in this campaign, to not despair of our present difficulties, but to believe, always, in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here. Americans never quit. We never surrender. We never hide from history. We make history.”
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84 Comments
Quite the swan dive. If he’d ran his campaign with as much integrity as he used in his concession speech, the outcome might have been different.
Yes – a good speech. Let’s hope that he can return to the Senate and work ‘across the aisle’ for the good of our country.
Well, a dissenting opinion on McCain’s concession –
I think he bought too much of the media’s giddiness over being the first Black president.
Yeah, it’s pretty amazing for a nation that started out determining a black man only 3/5ths of a person (not black women, mind you; all women are nothing under “original intent”).
And yeah, the world remembers 40 years ago when Martin Luther King was murdered by an American merely for having a dream.
And yeah, King’s dream came a long way toward coming true yesterday.
But McCain’s emphasis of Obama’s race at the top of his speech seemed pretty snarky to me.
Like, “I would have won if I weren’t an angry old white man.”
The speech did get better as it went along, even if the crowd in Phoenix didn’t.
I suspect we so a more real McCain last night than we have for the past 10 months. We’ll see if he returns to the Senate as the maverick he used to be; the John McCain of 2000 instead of the angry Fred Mertz look-alike we faced in 2008.
I think the poor guy sold his soul again. Just as when he made propaganda films for the Viet Cong, just as he left his crippled wife for the Beer Heiress, just as he sucked up to Shrub and Falwell and “Joe the Plumber.” Just as when he tried, and never quite succeeded, to convince people he thought the Moose-Dresser was the 2nd-best qualified person on the planet to step into the job as leader of the free world.
And when he finished speaking I had to wonder about which John McCain we’ve seen over the past year or so.
Will he reach across the aisle.
We pretty much know he holds Barack Obama in contempt for being
uppityan upstart. Will he be a grumpy sore-loser when it matters; when the new Congress takes power in January?We’ll see.
Monkey even in victory you are just as classless as ever.
Mega dittos, MHawk.
On and on about civil rights it went, yada, yada, yada.
Not one thing about working together with Obama to create a better world.
Meanwhile, Obama said:
Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House – a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, We are not enemies, but friends…though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn – I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.
*****
Now that’s class.
Can you imagine Bush or McCain ever saying to a liberal-leftist like me, “I want to be your President too.” Of course not! Because they didn’t.
It was their way or the highway.
It was Palin did him in.
That and his dreadful performance in the debates.
In a way, I am sorry for McCain.
If this blogs cons are a representative sample of cons at large?
There was NO ONE who was actually heart and soul from jump for McCain. He had to come to know that.
It’s always fun to prove KomradeKapn wrong.
McCain last night:
“These are difficult times for our country. And I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.
I urge all Americans … I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.”
“KSGolfnut” tries –
McCain last night:
“I urge all Americans … I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together….”
To which the McCainiacs yelled, “BOOOOOO!”
Real classy group there.
okobserver posted November 5, 2008 at 2:27 pm
Monkey even in victory you are just as classless as ever.
————–
“Classless” was McCain’s and Palin’s entire campaign — he’s a socialist, palling with terroristS, etc.
“Classless” was McCain calling Obama “that one” during the debate.
Classless is a matter of bias.
Regardless, the statemets were truthful.
Unlike a number of the Palin smears.
Oh, did he say that, KilledInAction, because after the first ten minutes of “haven’t ‘those people’ come so far,” it was hard to pay attention . . .
How many posts around Labor Day refer to Trig Palin being sister Bristol’s child?
I’ll never take a WEbloggers critcal statements of a Republican serious again.
The darkness of your hearts showed over those days in posts.
You’ll never live them down.
McCain is just not a great speaker.
I wasn’t able to watch it last night or to watch all of Obama’s speech, so I watched them both today.
McCain is just not a great speaker.
At least with Dubya we could laugh at his convoluted words. With McCain? Not coming off as heartfelt (and I don’t feel he did), it’s nothing but words.
Or maybe I’m just spoiled after listening to Obama.
How many posts around Labor Day refer to Trig Palin being sister Bristol’s child?
On this blog? Not that many.
Mr_Kia
Posted November 5, 2008 at 3:16 pm | Permalink
How many posts around Labor Day refer to Trig Palin being sister Bristol’s child?
And how many posts claiming Obama was a Muslim? Not born in Hawaii?
I thought his speech was gracious and will not critisize him anymore. The Election is over and it is time to move forward.
Obviously too many think the Daily Kos is a legitimate news source.
To defend this type of slander says alot.
it is time to move forward.
Amen. I hope he picks an outstanding cabinet.
How many Obama supporters claimed to have been attacked and raped by a rich old white McCain supporter?
How many McCain supporters jumped on that hoax giving it air here?
I know of at least two.
The indefensible being defended.
How many people jumped on the Edward’s Baby-Momma scandal?
Whoops, turned out to be true…
Mr_Kia posted,
Classless is a matter of bias.
Regardless, the statemets were truthful.
Unlike a number of the Palin smears.
…
How many posts around Labor Day. . .?
————
Do you really believe that this blog was part of McCain’s and obama’s official “campaign”?
Truthful statements? If Obama is a “socialist”, then McCain was also a “socialist”.
“I am disappointed that the Senate Finance Committee preferred instead to cut the top tax rate of 39.6% to 36%, thereby granting generous tax relief to the wealthiest individuals of our country at the expense of lower- and middle-income American taxpayers.” [ McCain Senate floor statement, May 21, 2001]
36% on > $250k = McCain’s ‘Country First!
39% on > $250k = Obama’s (and Bill Clinton’s) SOCIALISM!
And the two-person business that ‘Joe the faux plumber’ idly dreams about buying would be HELPED by Obama’s tax policies.
Mr_Kia
Posted November 5, 2008 at 2:57 pm | Permalink
Classless is a matter of bias.
Regardless, the statemets were truthful.
Unlike a number of the Palin smears.
—
I see you’re still regurgitating the old Radical Right Wing talking points. Why don’t you just give it up? The American people spoke quite loudly last night about their feelings toward the Radical Right Wingers.
Your bunch had their chance when they swept into power in 1994 and what did they do with it? Ran the country into the ground and what did you gain? People don’t like it when so-called Christians yell at them all the time and then do the exact opposite in their own lives. The Radical Right Wingers need to clean up their own backyards and stop trying to tell everyone else how to live.
Amen, mom…It was the anger, distortions, exaggerations, and lies that did McCain in. When his running mate shouted “Barack “HUSSEIN” Obam”, and attempted to make him out to be a terrorist sympathizer, Americans spoke loudly that they had enough…what McCain couldn’t seem to realize is that most Americans care about the issues, not the character assasinations.
I couldn’t wait to get to work this moring to see the reaction of many of my older, Republican patients to the Obama win. When one talked about how disappointed he was, I responded about how delighted I felt…and his reaction was “Well, you KNOW he’s a Muslim!” Unbelievable..I think that’s what McCain was counting on…that most Americans are so ignorant that they can be persuaded by such lies and propaganda.
The booing, while tasteless and ridiculous, is not limited to one group. For example, I was in Minneapolis in 1984 when Walter Mondale gave his concession speech..and it was interrupted several times by boos. Same thing earlier in the year when George McGovern gave his farewell speech at the Parker House Hotel in Boston..again, there were boos.
Not excusing it at anytime or place, but it is not something that is unique to one party, group, or decade.
The election will be known forever more as The Republican Repudiation, a watershed moment in history.
Raptor,
Did McGovern or any candidates have an increase in threats, that seemed to be triggered by the opponents campaign?
‘Behind The Scenes: Newsweek On McCain In The Dark, Obama Threats, And More’
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/05/obama-we-cant-solve-globa_n_141358.html
“– The Obama campaign was provided with reports from the Secret Service showing a sharp and very disturbing increase in threats to Obama in September and early October, at the same time that the crowds at Palin rallies became more frenzied. Michelle Obama was shaken by the vituperative crowds and the hot rhetoric from the GOP candidates.
“Why would they try to make people hate us?” Michelle Obama said to a top campaign aide.”
Maybe the Republicans learned something valuble about running negative campaigns based on fear and hysteria?
Maybe they didn’t! With any luck they will think they have no lessons to learn since they already know it all so well. Palin and Joe 2012. ;-)
“Why would they try to make people hate us?” Michelle Obama said to a top campaign aide.”
Because they were desperate…and how dispictable.
“despicable”
#
Phantom
Posted November 5, 2008 at 5:12 pm | Permalink
The election will be known forever more as The Republican Repudiation, a watershed moment in history.
—————–
You keep saying that Phantom, as if trying to convince yourself. Either that, or you are a young’un. But you know in your heart that it just another in the historical election ebb and flow. In two years the Dems will likely starting losing seats because they are the party in power, subject to the scandals, and blamed for the problems. It is not like either Democrats or Republicans have a patent on virtue or scandal. They are all politicians.
If true, then I think this bit from an analysis of McCain’s failure in today’s WSJ is pretty telling:
“Heading into the general-election campaign in June, Sen. McCain had been in a good place. He had won the Republican nomination early enough to be rested and ready after the bitterly fought Obama-Clinton contest.
But in a strategy session of five McCain advisers — campaign manager Rick Davis, pollster Bill McInturff, strategist Steve Schmidt, ad-maker Fred Davis and strategist Greg Strimple — the back and forth revealed a fundamental problem. Fred Davis posed a question designed to give the campaign a central focus: “Why should we elect John McCain?” Tellingly, after several hours of debate, the five couldn’t reach a consensus.
“Without an overriding rationale, our campaign necessarily turned tactical rather than strategic,” one adviser recalls. “We focused more on why Obama should not be president, but much less on why McCain should be.””
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122586043326400685.html
—
The last point, that McCain’s campaign was tactical rather than stragegic in nature, rings pretty true for me. We saw it here, too, in many of his supporters’ writings.
For example, Obama’s a secret Muslim/terrorist/traitor/communist/socialist/Nation of Islam adherent/Chicago thug, etc. Yada yada yada, mud mud mud. Every day it was something new, something more ridiculous than the day before in an attempt to lead Americans up in any way possible to a very tall leap in logic and and convince Americans to jump. Jump dammit! (for me the pinnacle effort in that direction was a discussion I had with Franklin about the Wall Street meltdown, one that ended with Franklin’s comment: “PAULSON IS A DEMOCRAT!”)
Even here, when challenged to name one reason why McCain would make a great president none of his supporters could answer without saying something about Obama. Nobody here could tell us why McCain would make a great president, nobody nationally did either.
If your campaign is internally inconsistent strategically, you’re doomed.
And McCain was.
By the way, I thought McCain’s concession speech was very gracious. I believe I heard on NPR this morning that he called Obama within 10 minutes of polls closing in the PST time zone.
That’s pretty bold, and very classy.
Here’s a question. Where does Fox go now with its programming? Long term. They have to evolve to keep an audience. They lose audience, they lose money. The Brit Hume/old fart panels will not do the trick. And Mr. Rove? He’s a known perjurer. Under a new Attorney General, he’s not protected. Seems to me, his days are numbered.
ks-dem
FAUX does not need broad appeal; just rabid appeal. As THE Rightie station they can command a solid 20% share which, in this cable-TV world, is quite good.
Sort of like Rush on the radio.
And look for Sarah Palin to host a show there.
Faux will probably just shift from attacking the candidate Obama, to attacking President Obama. They’ll try to block Obama’s tax policies by falsely calling him a socialist and/or communist, etc. . .
The dimos have proven the point made on this blog many times about the negative and hate they have in them.
Even with a victory they are still full of negative and hate.
Do dimos ever enjoy life? Are dimos ever positive? Do dimos ever look for the silver lining in anything?
My goodness you won. You should be rejoicing. Instead you are still being mean spirited and hateful. Such dark hearts you all must have.
Get over yourselves. Try just once enjoying a victory. Be happy. Speak positive.
You will find you have less stress and you smile a lot as well.
sunflower5,
I’ve been very happy since it became obvious last night that McCain had lost.
But I’m not impressed by McCain simply reading a concession speech, that was probably written by someone else.
I will believe what McCain said, if he actually supports and pushes President Obama’s policies in the Senate.
Sunflower…
a week or two ago, there was a story in the print edition of the paper that quoted a university study saying that Republicans were, in general, happier than Democrats–current (at the time) polls included.
Seems to be borne out here a lot of the time, doesn’t it?
Percentage of eligible voters that voted for President on Nov 4, 2008:
67%
Obama votes 63,893,037 52% approx
McCain votes 56,404,917 46% approx
This means that about 33% of the eligible voters didn’t vote for President. How many voters is that?
Eligible voters in the USA (registered or not):
180,000,000 approx
Eligible voters who didn’t vote (whether they choose not to vote or didn’t register):
60,148,977 approx 33.3% approx
Obama votes from eligible voters 35.5% approx
McCain votes from eligible voters 31.1% approx
Neither a landslide or a mandate!
You can check my numbers, but I believe that is correct!
Raptor,
That study seems to support the saying: “Ignorance is bliss”.
American posted November 5, 2008 at 8:18 pm
Neither a landslide or a mandate!
————–
Is reality too complicated for you to understand, “American”?
If you do NOT vote, your opinion is NOT counted.
It may also be saying Cosmos; that life is too short, so quit sweating the small stuff, and don’t be such a nerd.
I have a bumper sticker that says “If ignorance is bliss, why aren’t more people happy?”
I’d say that describes the right wing pretty accurately.
Right now they have “Joe the Plumber” on Fox news giving his view of Obama and the election…. wow, how ignorant.
Mary,
Conservatives are really much more happy than liberals and make more money.
They donate more to charity than Liberals.
Their marriages are stronger and they live longer.
Not bad is it?
Public opinion isn’t everything you know.
“If ignorance is bliss, I’m the happiest man alive.”
Words from a song by Bob Walkenhorst that I can sometimes relate to.
You should be pretty happy too Mary.
Psst;….don’t sweat the small stuff.
You can retract your claws now, dear lady.
This is weird…Fox News has “Joe” in the hotseat, earlier they were critical of Sara Palin…looks like they’re really looking for a scapegoat to blame for their loss.
Out, Nah…I’m having too much fun!
Actually I AM happy today…my confidence in the American people has been restored.
Yeah Hannity has not figured out that HE is now irrelevant let alone that Joe the plumber is 10 minutes over his 15 minutes of fame.
But as they continue NOT to get last night’s message, FOX will probably give Joe his own show.
“Mary_Caruso” on CONs –
“…wow, how ignorant.”
The Republic Party tends to wallow in ignorance.
I read today George WMD Bush just appointed Lee Greenwood (who thrills blue-hairs in Branson and Republic Party rallies with a medley of his hit) to the National Council on the Arts!
There’s still a couple of months of Shrub left. How much lower can he go in the area of sheer f-youitiveness?
Colmes tried to tell Joe that Obama’s tax plan would actually cut Joe’s taxes.
Joe doesn’t want any of that! It violates his “principles”.
Hey Joe? If you want to suffer and hurt yourself, sit in a corner and hit yourself in the head with a pipe wrench. Don’t drag everyone else into YOUR principled need to work against your own best interest.
Raptor’s law of liberal unhappiness keeps ringing true. Example after example. They appear not to be truly happy unless they are insulting someone or a group that they don’t belong to. Could it be that that they are personally that insecure?
I’m thinking we all know the answer to that.
Raptor aint posting like the happiest of campers.
And it is a little late for an attempt to make the Republicans the party of “High Hopes”.
Considering they just spent the last 7 years trying to scare the hell out of America?
“American” lies –
“… CONs’ marriages are stronger and they live longer.”
Uhm. No.
The divorce rate is much higher in Red States.
And the state with the lowest divorce rate?
“Librul” Massachusetts.
;^)
I dunno, Out…seems to me that the right wingers can hold their own when it comes to personal attacks and insults.
It was stated on Fox News tonight that “Joe the Plumber” was once on welfare. I still don’t get it, why are they throwing their own under the bus?
What you are seeing, Mary, is the formation of two or maybe three camps. Each con has to figure out which one he belongs in.
Then the Republican party will fall into civil war.
“Raptor’s law of liberal unhappiness keeps ringing true”
You know there is something to that…people who have higher IQs tend to be more unhappy and dissatisfied. It’s because they think more, they realize more, they analyze more, they see the world as it really is and sometimes that can be very depressing.
You’ll notice many of the happiest people in the world are the ones who are mentally retarded. That’s not a put down, that’s just how it is.
I know my retarded patients enjoy life much more than my patients who have normal or above normal IQs. Their world is much more concrete, black and white, and they get joy out of the most simple things.
I have really learned how to be happy from my mentally retarded clients…if you have a roof over your head, food in the fridge, someone to care about you, and a new box of crayons…life can be pretty damn good!
Rant radio is frothing overtime today.
Just now, the particularly squeaky Mark Levin is busy trying to decide who deserves to remain a Republican and who does not.
The ironic thing here is that the Fairness doctrine may intrude in time to save the GOP from being tribalized behind disparate chieftains.
Sorry…I’m just full of random thoughts tonight.
Whatever you think of McCain’s concession speech, it’s pretty obvious McCain’s campaign staff hasn’t been all that “graceful” toward the Moose-Dresser.
Turns out the “$150,000″ cost maybe $40,000 more!
“The Wasilla hillbillies looted Nieman-Marcus from coast to coast.”
And then there’s this, as reported by the Fox Noise Channel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWZHTJsR4Bc
The bus is probably due for tire alignment after running over all those bodies.
Well, Mary, I guess those trying to make the case for liberals being unhappy must have gotten busy with their new box of crayons. ;-)
I heard a survey today where only 18% of Republicans want Sarah Palin to be head of the Republican movement.
But my sense of the radio generals and con posters here is that the REAL foot soldiers among the cons will rally to Palin.
This will not sit well with Romney, who will likely gather the fiscal cons. The Palin crowd has religious issues with him.
Would McCain make another try? Ego hadn’t dissipated with age for him SO far. HE gets the moderates and realists. They don’t know WHERE to run now and McCain has no heir apparent.
“I know my retarded patients enjoy life much more than my patients who have normal or above normal IQs. Their world is much more concrete, black and white, and they get joy out of the most simple things.
Don’t you think that’s why most of the cons report being so happy? They only think in black and white.
Good point, “BlueJay,” with –
“The ironic thing here is that the Fairness doctrine may intrude in time to save the GOP from being tribalized behind disparate chieftains.”
Not to mention “desperate” chieftains, too.
And that’s what the disparate chieftains are; desperate.
Steve Forbes was on TV last night, trying to claim the banner of the business wing of the Republic Party. The Moose-Dresser’s got the talkin’-in-tongues twice-borns and illegal abortion advocates. The Halliburton wing of the party is itchin’ for a fight with someone, anyone, anywhere.
The Republic Party circular firing squad is assembling.
“Fire! Ready! Aim!”
What Rove hath wrought.
I think those with simple minds are easier to please….I think I’m going to buy a new box of crayons for myself tomorrow!
Good nite….I’m going to sleep better knowing that the world may become a better place. It’s very heartwarming to see the world celebrate with us!
Steve Forbes, good point. He’s in the mix.
Much like Forbes in seeing himself as the hero on the white horse is Newt Gingrich.
So, factions within factions. And a unified Democrat government will irritate and inflame ALL of them.
A black man may aspire to be President now.
EVEN maybe among the cons, who always seem to be anywhere from just to 20 years behind the Democrats as to inclusiveness and promotion.
Allen Keyes may vie with Sarah Palin for the religious and taken wing.
We’re gonna need a score card and lots of body bags for what is to come.
taken should be token.
And my guess is Sarah has a leg up on that spot.
American
Posted November 5, 2008 at 8:39 pm | Permalink
Their marriages are stronger and they live longer.
Lets see now … my Korea vet Marine father-in-law was married over half a century when his wife passed away; another close friend (navy) over half a century before he passed in his 80s; I’ve been married over 37 years. All “liberals”; my father-in-law was celebrating last night.
Well, glad to see that you Democrats got with the program and got a person of “color” into high national office.
Although honestly, I am offended when a person’s alleged “race” is emphasized. It demeans them. Do you suppose that humanity will ever get past the tendency to form factions based on this most obvious of criteria. I mean, skin color as a basis for anything is pretty stupid. How about shirts and skins?
Like Mary, I am having random thoughts that need to be put to bed. Good night.
outlander posted November 5, 2008 at 8:30 pm
It may also be saying Cosmos; that life is too short, so quit sweating the small stuff, and don’t be such a nerd.
————-
outlander,
I know that “life is too short”.
I don’t “sweat the small stuff”.
The very different policies of McCain and Obama were NOT “small stuff” to the U.S., and the entire world.
And I enjoy pointing out that you, and others here are wrong about AGW.
Sarah Palin with a “leg up” on Alan Keyes.
When the image that suggests hit me, I couldn’t stop laughing.
I apologize if it over excites some of the cons.
outlander posted November 5, 2008 at 10:07 pm
Well, glad to see that you Democrats got with the program and got a person of “color” into high national office.
Although honestly, I am offended when a person’s alleged “race” is emphasized. It demeans them.
————
Actually, the “independents” were a factor in Obama’s election.
And outlander, I’m sorry that you are “offended” by your own post, and by McCain’s concession speech.
McCain: “This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight.”
Splintered, shattered, gone.
The cons are embarked on figuring out just who they are and what they want.
Kook Mark Levin is playing speeches from Ronald Reagan from 30 years ago. For some cons, backwards is forwards now. Down is up. Beaten is vindicated.
Damn I had forgotten what a lunatic Reagan really was until I heard him again.
That was the best speech he did in the election.
Another group that came out strong for Obama was the young people. This is the group that is notorious for not showing up at the polls; but this election was not like any other election.
I actually listened to one McCain campaign worker state that he wasn’t at all concerned about going to the college campuses to register young people because ‘they could not be counted on showing up so why waste our time’. Perhaps it is this arrogance that finally brought the GOP down?
As for Sarah Palin and the Right Wingers, if the true Republicans are lucky, maybe the Radical Right will be just arrogant enough to think they can break away from the GOP party and start their own party.
It was brought out on one network last night that the poll numbers showed Palin actually drew people away from McCain but she did kee her ‘base’ – yeah, how’s that working for them?
kee = keep
Someone who doesn’t even know that Africa is a continent has no business being a “heartbeat away”. Palin reminds me of the folks on Leno’s “Jaywalking”. Can she really be that ignorant? It’s hard to imagine she could have risen as far as she has…scary.