Let me get this straight. Arizona Sen. John McCain, age 72, a 26-year veteran of Congress, and President George Bush’s legislative twin brother, the man who has for months repeatedly condemned Sen. Barack Obama’s message of CHANGE as grossly inferior to his decades of EXPERIENCE–yes, that McCain–is now saying that he is the change candidate? It appears that McCain and his strategists, as they were beginning the RNC Convention behind in the polls and on the wrong end of an “enthusiasm gap” between the constituencies of the two major parties, decided that since it doesn’t look like they can beat Obama and the Democratic Party’s change message, why not just imitate it?
The Dems made history by putting forth history-making candidates, including Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton (not to mention Bill Richardson, the
first Latino of a major party to make a run at the White House). McCain mimics, by selecting Sarah Palin as his running mate–even though based on their resumes, Palin is strictly minor league compared to Clinton, and at least a half dozen other women in her own party, most of whom knew next to nothing about her only few months ago. Of course, despite the selection of Palin, the GOP is as diversity-challenged as ever, with women making up only a third of their delegates and black Americans representing less than two percent (versus more than 50 percent and about 25 percent, respectively, among the delegates at the DNC convention).The next thing you know, McCain will actually try to engage in public displays of affection between himself and his wife, C
indy McCain, in an effort to capture the authentic and loving romance evident in Obama’s interaction with his wife Michelle. (Mrs. McCain looks absolutely like a third wheel now that Palin is on the scene. Earlier today, at the running mates’ first campaign appearance since the convention, McCain followed Palin closely as they left the stage, with Cindy trailing behind–a literal afterthought. You know Obama would never have done Michelle like that!)Obama and the Democrats use their convention to demonstrate that they totally understand America’s justifiable dissatisfaction (given the Iraq War, record levels of unemployment and home foreclosure and the wreckage of the domestic economy) and desire for change. McCain and the Republicans mimic–even though he really doesn’t “get it” (“our economy
is fundamentally strong”), his acceptance speech at the GOP convention declares that he is the candidate of change, despite the fact that he is a veteran of Washington who supported the economic policies that has placed most Americans, and the middle class in particular, under such economic stress.It’s one thing to imitate, quite another to actually duplicate. Palin may be great at dressing mooses (or moose, or whatever.) Most Americans have no idea exactly what that entails, but they do know that putting a dress on a moose doesn’t mean it’s no longer a moose. The selection of a younger woman as a vice presidential candidate does not erase the fact that McCain is the Grand Old Candidate (who is just getting briefed on this new technological wonder called the Internet) of the Grand Old Party. All you need to do is to compare the audiences at the major party conventions to see that.
The GOP can shout “change” as loud and as often as they like. It doesn’t change the fact that the party and its platform is the party of the past, not the future; the party of the status quo established by the current Bush Administration, not the party determined to strike out in a new direction for a better, greater America. If authenticity counts for anything in this election, American voters will not be fooled. If they really want change, they will accept no substitutes and reject cheap (yeah you, Palin), hastily crafted imitations.
In the meantime, look out for John McCain’s best-selling autobiographical blockbuster: The Audacity of Hope.
Alfred A. Edmond Jr. is the editor-in-chief of BlackEnterprise.com