How to Beat a Rock Star: ‘Substance.’
There is, McCain says, 'a right change and a wrong change.' His general-election case, in his own words.
Email To A Friend
Please fill in the following information and we'll email this link.
From the road in Florida last Friday morning, en route to a fund-raiser and then a tour of the Everglades, John McCain spoke with NEWSWEEK's Holly Bailey and Jon Meacham by telephone about the general election, Barack Obama, Iraq, prewar intelligence and the press. Edited excerpts:
NEWSWEEK: Sir, Senator Obama is a hugely gifted politician. This is a brutal year on a clinical level for any Republican to be running.
McCain: Umhmm.
So what's the strategy? How do you overcome those two things?
Well, the strategy is the themes of reform, prosperity and peace, and I have the experience, background and a record and the kind of judgment to lead the country through extremely difficult times. There are threats to our economy that are incredibly serious—witness the unemployment numbers that just came out—and to our nation's security. I'm convinced that, using the kind of communications that won me the nomination of my party against significant odds, I will be able to gain the presidency as well. But I think it's got to do with substance, and it's got to do with a concrete plan of action for the future of the country.
Become a Fan of Jon Meacham
The other night you were using the trope "That's not change we can believe in." Watching, it struck me that fighting on somebody else's rhetorical field and offering a negative as opposed to a positive is not the most vigorous way forward.
Well, I think it's an important part of this campaign to point out that everybody wants change, but there is a right change and a wrong change. I believe that what Senator Obama is advocating is a return to the failed policies of the '60s and '70s—bigger government, higher taxes—and certainly not the same view on national-security challenges. So, I thought it was important to point out that there is a right change and a wrong change.
What did you and Senator Obama talk about [in a telephone call after Obama secured the nomination]?
Well, first of all, it was a private conversation, but second of all it was cordial. I congratulated him, as you might expect, and said I looked forward to the town-hall meetings and hoped we could get started right away. I would like to do 10 of them, starting with one next week at Federal Hall in New York.
I noticed you have gotten under his skin a little bit in terms of saying that "for a young man with no experience he's done quite well."
[Laughs.]
Did you watch him the other night when he accepted—
No, I didn't. I have watched other speeches that he's given, and I certainly admire his eloquence. I have said that a number of times.
In St. Paul, he said, to paraphrase, that he honors your achievements even though you choose to deny his.
We have sharp differences.
I think it's important to know that when he wants to have a specific withdrawal strategy, getting the troops out of Iraq, he has not sat down with General Petraeus, the leader of our troops over there. I think that needs to be pointed out to the American people because it's American lives that are on the line as we speak.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- Next Page »
Discuss