Saturday, March 11, 2006

Tone Deaf

Interestingly, I think McCain has completely lost sight of the politcal dyamics. Ad Nags gives us some more info:
The extent of Mr. McCain's embrace of Mr. Bush was striking, and several Republicans here suggested it reflected two political facts. The first is that he needs to reassure conservatives of his loyalty to Mr. Bush, and the second is that, at this point, he is in a strong enough position in this inchoate field to have flexibility in presenting himself.

Mr. McCain went so far as to condemn the collapse of the port deal, saying that Congress had served Mr. Bush poorly by not permitting a 45-day review of security concerns to proceed, though he did not mention that the deal was sunk by fellow Republicans.

"The president deserved better," Mr. McCain said.

Mr. McCain praised the president for his failed effort to rewrite the nation's Social Security system, said he supported the decision to go into Iraq and blistered critics who suggested the White House had fabricated or exaggerated evidence of unconventional weapons in Iraq in order to justify the invasion.

"Anybody who says the president of the United States is lying about weapons of mass destruction is lying," Mr. McCain said.


We've already hit the tipping point and the post-Bush age is upon us. McCain's absolutely wrong to think that the way to curry favor with the party faithful is to suck up to Bush. The faithful are basically done with Bush, disappointed with what he's failed to provide them with and at least vaguely aware of his detached incompetence. The authoritarian cultists are looking around for a new cult leader and they're a bit tired of the last one. We've reached the end of the days of Republicanism=Bushism, and people are now desperate to redefine it. McCain's neither impressing Republican primary voters nor burnishing his maverick credentials.

Sad pandering politician near the end of his career and he doesn't even know it.