Democrats Shouldn't Get Too Cozy, McCain At His Best As Underdog - Page 2
McCain's apparently at his best when he's facing defeat, and is at his worst when he's on top. A couple examples of this come to mind. First and foremost is of course his POW experience. By now, we ALL know, Senator McCain's a war hero (it's sort of become his single defining characteristic on the campaign trail) and Welch masterfully explains how the McCain's soldier instincts were honed by a long distinguished line of military forefathers and how took this paternal history took root in McCain's formative years.
McCain's life of highs and lows come at the worst times in his life, where like the mythic Phoenix, he rises from the ashes to reign again. The obvious example is his POW story.
Prior to being shot down during the Vietnam War and captured by angry villagers (McCain broke both arms and a knee during the crash) he was a jaded, cocky guy who didn't seem to grasp the grave nature of the war, especially for those in the trenches. It wasn't until he was broken, both physically and morally (he was beaten into giving a "confession" by his captures) that McCain found "himself," and as we've all now heard throughout the McCain campaign this is when he "fell in love" with his country. It was this experience which led him to put "country first" and was a guiding force in his life.
We also saw McCain overcome defeat when his campaign fell apart after running out of money and being deserted by essentially his entire staff in July of '07. Look where that got him, the lead candidate on his party's ticket. What might destroy any other man's will to succeed, seems to be the recipe for success for McCranky (that's what I like to call him).
Fast forward to right now, and we have McCain's latest crash, burn and possible resurrection. Enter Sarah "Caribou Barbie" Palin, whose crazy train has come to screeching halt. In the days after her spirited RNC speech, news on Palin was sunshine, rainbows and unicorns in the mainstream media (except for those intellectual snobs at the NYT ;).
Palin, who was given a free pass because she successfully fired up the McCain ticket, is now being scrutinized down to her favorite moose jerky recipe (she's likes it spicy!). Is this fair? Probably not, but that's how the modern media does it. Pendulums swing this way, pendulums swing that way. Rarely do we get to hear the old "fair and balanced" news we so desperately need.
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