And yet, six months later, we watch the last remaining vestiges of McCain's honor and integrity flame down to earth in a death-spiral, plummeting so fast that Tucker Bounds no longer feels gravity (he certainly seemed light-headed on his Campbell Brown appearance).
Six months ago to the day, John McCain's campaign released the following pledge (the most unintentionally hilarious passages are highlighted):
To: Campaign Leadership
From: Rick Davis
Subject: McCain Message
Date: 3/11/2008
John McCain is now the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party. It is critical, as we prepare to face off with whomever the Democrats select as their nominee, that we all follow John's lead and run a respectful campaign focused on the issues and values that are important to the American people.
Throughout the primary election we saw John McCain reject the type of politics that degrade our civics, and this will not change as he prepares to run head-to-head against the Democratic nominee.
John McCain will continue to run on his principles and will focus on the future of our country. The stakes could not be higher in this election, and John will contrast his vision for America with that of Senators Clinton and Obama. He will draw sharp contrasts: victory versus surrender to Islamic extremism; lower taxes and spending versus more big government; free-market solutions to health care versus costly mandates; and the appointment of strict constructionist judges versus those who legislate from the bench.
Overheated rhetoric and personal attacks on our opponents distract from the big differences between John McCain's vision for the future of our nation and the Democrats'. This campaign is about John McCain: his vision, leadership, experience, courage, service to his country and ability to lead as commander in chief from day one.
Throughout his life John McCain has held himself to the highest standards and he will continue to run a respectful campaign based on the issues. We expect that all supporters, surrogates and staff will hold themselves to similarly high standards when they are representing the campaign. To help guide you, please find talking points below.
This is an exciting time for our country and our Party. Thank you for your dedication and hard work. We face a great challenge this November: John is ready, and with your continued support I am confident we will succeed.
Thank you.
Remember this old relic? Not since the United States Constitution has a document been so widely discussed, yet so ignored.
Sure, it's political rhetoric. Sure, it was made in the midst of the heat Democratic primaries, when McCain had the luxury of sitting on the sidelines and trying to paint himself as "above the fray." Yet, this was a pledge of honor John McCain made to the American people. There's no ambiguity in its language. Nobody forced McCain to make to this pledge, he did so on his own volition. He broke his pledge, plain and simple.
There can be no doubt that McCain's campaign will tread yet further into the gutter of politics between now and Election Day - he's too far gone to reclaim any semblance of the high road, so there's no place else for him to go. Starting now, and at each and every opportunity, this March 11, 2008 Pledge to the American people needs to be shoved in McCain's face by the media, by Obama surrogates, by Joe Biden, and by Obama himself. Force McCain to explain himself. Point out how, just six months ago, his campaign defined a "respectful campaign" as one strictly avoiding "overheated rhetoric and personal attackes on our opponents." Force McCain to defend his recent attacks and childish rhetoric, which plainly falls within the realm of "disrepectful campaign" by his own definition. Properly asked, with follow-up questions (journalists, remember those? You learned about them in a few of your classes) it is a no-win situation for McCain: If McCain actually tries to contend that his campaign has lived up to the standards of his "respectful campaign" pledge, he loses any shred of credibility and people will be forced to wonder - THIS is how McCain views the "honor" he constantly touts? If McCain acknowledges that his campaign has fallen short of its March 11th pledge, he is backed into a corner with only two possible explanations. Either McCain himself chose to change course out of political expediency - that is, he purposefully broke his pledge to the American people to save his own campaign, not exactly "Country First" - or else McCain caved to or was powerless against others that wished to nose the dialogue down this ugly path - that is, The Maverick is merely a puppet to the GOP machine.
So which is it, Maverick: liar? Puppet? Both?
Comments are closed on this story.