In politics, John McCain owns the "maverick" brand, which sometimes means unpredictable, mercurial, iconoclastic. But his nominating convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul will portray the senator from Arizona as a steady, dependable, experienced politician who can protect the country and handle the economy.
"Coming out of the convention," said campaign press secretary Jill Hazelbaker, "John McCain wants the American people to know that he will go to the Oval Office each day with two things in mind: How can he keep Americans safe? And how can he keep Americans working? You can trust John McCain to keep his word because he has always placed the interests of this country ahead of all else."
Message: He Cares! Themes: Security; Jobs; Trust; Selflessness.
But the mix of war, terrorism, economic turmoil, and the unpopular President Bush is hardly a celebratory backdrop for a nominating jubilee; instead it looms over proceedings like the decorations at a Halloween party. Plus, McCain's convention must follow Barack Obama's gladiator-style entreaties for "change," issued from the center of Denver's football stadium the week prior.
Gloomy conditions in the country mean that the GOP's gathering during Labor Day week must feel relevant and policy-centered, no matter how gauzy the gathering's commercials for patriotism and optimism. Some Republican strategists concede that 2008 cannot credibly be "morning again in America," as President Reagan boasted in his famous 1984 re-election ad. And Bush's 2004 convention (and the midterm election of 2006) may have tapped out voters' preoccupations with terrorism warnings.
"There's no choice. They can't have the kind of excitement that Obama is going to create," said Dan Schnur, who handled communications during McCain's 2000 race for the White House.
"The most important thing at the convention is for people to turn off the TV on Thursday feeling that John McCain understands the economy, understands what they're going through, and knows what to do about it," Schnur said. "The convention has to be about John McCain and jobs and the economy."
Could straight talk make voters balk? Minnesota in September might test whether McCain's candor is really his strongest suit. "I think in this election people are looking for truth, not the usual politics," Mike Murphy, a Republican strategist who confers with McCain informally, said on July 15 on NBC News. "I think McCain's advantage is, he's a truth-teller. He went to Michigan, he lost a primary, showed a lot of political courage telling autoworkers he can't wave a magic wand and bring those jobs back. But long-term, his policies of growth are the best thing for the economy."
This article appeared in the Saturday, August 2, 2008 edition of National Journal.
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