McCain Sets Out His Stall

On Thursday John McCain gave an impressive performance at the Republican Convention and probably did enough to win over his doubters, including Republican ones. He eschewed Obama’s soaring oratory and electrifying rhetorical flourishes. Instead he adopted a sober and measured tone, in contrast to much of the vitriol heaped by the Republicans on their opponents in the last 8 years.

He talked of the imperative need to lower taxes for America’s families and limit the government’s reach in domestic affairs. He condemned the Democrats’ plans to widen state involvement in education and health which would impose an additional tax burden on Americans. He turned on the ‘big spending, do nothing, me first, country second Washington crowd’ promising them that change was coming. In keeping with his maverick instincts, he railed against the corruption in his own party with his promise to ‘restore the pride and principles of his party.’ Given his history of challenging pork barrel spending, this sounded like a realistic aspiration.

Like Obama he pledged to end American dependence on foreign oil by building nuclear power stations, drilling offshore (Obama opposed this) and investing in new sources of energy. But it was in foreign policy that McCain sounded statesmanlike, dignified and confident. He warned of the grave Soviet threat hanging over Eastern Europe and the Baltic states and of Iran’s state sponsorship of terror. These nations barely figured in the Obama acceptance speech. But while acknowledging that he would defend American interests abroad and continue the fight against Al Qaeda, he said that he hated war and would use all the means at his disposal to prevent it. Perhaps only a man who has seen the ugly side of war, and worn its scars, can utter such views sincerely. He also pledged to work with other parties in a bipartisan manner.

All along McCain has shrewdly distanced himself from the Bush White House and in last night’s speech, he mentioned the current President only once. This will have enhanced his image as a lone maverick while his tactical gamble in choosing an outsider, Sarah Palin, as a running mate appears to be paying rich dividends.

For some time, many Republicans have come to view McCain as a political loose cannon, just as some Democrats have been unconvinced by brand Obama. Perhaps last night McCain did enough to dispel the doubters and set himself on course for the most powerful office on earth.