The problem is that John McCain, the Republican nominee, is telling the NCGOP that they need to pull the ad.
Once again, the question must be asked: what is McCain thinking? It's a perfectly fair ad, it says nothing untrue (nor anything that could remotely be called misleading), and it is very effective. Nevertheless, McCain called it offensive and demanded it not be run. For good measure, the RNC piled on and called it "[n]ot appropriate and unhelpful." Of course, he couldn't be bothered to actually watch the ad before he trashed a state that he needs in November.
To their great credit, the NCGOP ignored them and ran it anyway.
Howard Dean, chairman of the DNC, took a potshot at McCain over the issue and said that if he couldn't get the ad pulled, it showed a lack of leadership on his part. Just another unintended consequence of McCain's actions, I suppose, but one that could come back in November to haunt him. Then again, no one has ever asserted that McCain actually has a lot of support throughout the entire Republican party, so maybe not.
NCGOP chairwoman Linda Daves addressed the issue with NPR's Melissa Block:
Responding to Block's question about whether the ad is "offensive," Daves says plainly: "I don't know why they're calling it offensive. I call it truthful."
There's nothing that McCain could tell you to change your mind about the ad?
Daves: "That is correct. I'm going to run the ad."
YES!!! This is how the GOP should be acting! Not the kid-gloves, leap-across-the-aisle-to-bow-down treatment that McCain and the RNC are portraying. It's one thing to play dirty; it's totally another to play fair and still try to win. That's what this is. Incidentally, the American public apparently agrees - money is apparently pouring into the NCGOP, while it's common knowledge that the RNC has been struggling mightily for years, and McCain throughout the entire campaign. When are the national elites in the Republican party going to figure this out? Linda Daves has, and that's why she is getting such huge support, even from people outside her state.
But McCain wasn't done. After being snubbed, he accused the NCGOP of being out of touch with reality. Boy, that'll go a long way toward securing the base, won't it?
Lots more comment and analysis here at Right Truth.
Here's why this is a big deal. The NCGOP ran this ad (which is entirely true) as an effective tool against two Democrat opponents. In the first place, McCain isn't officially the nominee yet, so he doesn't run the party. Second, Linda Daves is exactly right about focusing on the best interests of her state -- that's her job, after all -- rather than pander to the sensitivities of a national candidate. Third, this is yet another example of John McCain's ridiculous failure to attack his opponents, even if the attack is directed at something entirely legitimate.
Rush Limbaugh has spent considerable time on this subject over the past few days. He theorizes (with his 98.6% accuracy rating) that this is McCain simultaneously reaching out to the moderate Democrats and Independents, and distancing himself from conservative Republicans. Now that he's essentially secured the Rep nomination, he doesn't need the conservatives any more, but he desperately needs the Dem/Indie vote if he wants a prayer of winning. Since legitimately highlighting a non-flattering truth about an opponent is something that only mean and vicious conservatives do, McCain is appealing to the other side. In a broader sense, Limbaugh suggests that John McCain is trying to have his cake and eat it, too: he reserves the right to dictate to all Republicans what they can and can't say or think, but he also reserves the right to break from his own party (he's a 'maverick', remember) whenever he feels like it. This is one of the reasons his base has revolted against him - we generally don't appreciate egregious hypocrisy like that.
Of course, yesterday, McCain actually reversed himself, calling Obama's relationship with Wright 'beyond belief'. What prompted that sudden change, you ask?
"I saw yesterday some additional comments that have been revealed by Pastor Wright, one of them comparing the United States Marine Corps with Roman Legionnaires who were responsible for the death of our savior. I mean being involved in that, it's beyond belief. And then of course saying that al-Qaida and the American flag were the same flags," McCain told reporters.
So, apparently, McCain only feels that the toxic relationship between Obama and Wright is fair game when it's one of his pet issues that gets attacked. Boy, what a winner.
Anyway, there's your update. This really makes me think back to my blog post titled, "Barf Bag Or Mop: The McCain Choice". I seriously think I'm going to puke, but that's better than the alternative.
There's my two cents.
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