McCain theme: reform, prosperity, peace

Posted: Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:38 PM by Mark Murray

From NBC's Kelly O'Donnell
At an event that took place about an hour ago, McCain shrugged off the teleprompter that so often makes his remarks appear stilted. The copy displayed on the prompter slid up and down as its operator apparently tried guess where the senator was going. I am told the presumptive GOP nominee "decided not to give the speech." Instead, he was ad-libbing remarks that might otherwise appear prepared and scripted. He also debuted what may be the elusive theme for his candidacy: "Reform, prosperity, and peace."

McCain broke down each concept with a fuller explanation of his views on what he would do to provide the country reform, prosperity, and peace.

Interestingly, McCain told this audience that this synthesis of his campaign was a response to a question today from ABC News' Charlie Gibson about the three biggest concerns in America today.

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Comments

He gets his talking points from Charlie Gibson!!??!!

GA GUY (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:43 PM)

Ummm....peace through....war? Why can't this guy make sense?

giggling (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:43 PM)

Will spending billions of dollars on an endless war in Iraq for the next hundred years bring us peace and prosperity? Will his lobbyist-run campaign bring reform?

Jamil - Dearborn, MI (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:45 PM)

McTeleprompter is in for a rude awakening, how can he talk peace and prosperity when he wants to continue to fight a war?

McTeleprompter needs to make up his mind, war or peace? Can't have both. Someone needs to get the hook and get him off stage.

Michelle Zee (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:46 PM)

ROLFL! "Reform, prosperity, and peace." By "reform" he means privatizing Social Security, 'cause privatization has workeed so well in providing services to the military ($100 to wash a lb of laundry.)"Prosperity," as in make the tax cuts for the wealthiest permanent. "Peace," as in, take another little piece of my heart, as more people die in unnecessary wars.

Amy B Portland, ME (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:46 PM)

if he can bring it, especially peace, then I say bring it on. But I have seen no man- save one- who could bring about peace and he was crucified.McCain or Obama, just do what you say now, why wait for the presidency. If you can lower these horrible gas and food prices, stay some of this horrible weather (just kidding) bring about civil rest here in the states, feed our hungry elderly and children here in the states, assure that all have access to adequate health care, then please do it..if you can.

cheri, nashville, tn (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:48 PM)

He is able to connect with the little groups of people the way Barak cannot.

Barak needs to avoid the town hall meetings and stick with the crowds of 75K

scared for democrats in November (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:48 PM)

Republicans do not want to talk about peace.

To them peace equals appeasement.

Pat, Boston, MA (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:49 PM)

So Senator McCain is already running out of ideas and borrowing more from his opponent?

Is that what I am reading? Really?

This is going to be a fun general election. Senator McCain will try and position Senator Obama as the new guy and Senator Obama will be teaching the teacher...

RichardW in Bellevue, WA (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:50 PM)

McCain's adapting...changing if you will...

That's not change we can believe in.

Obama '08

Jay, The Batcave (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:50 PM)

And here come the obamians...lol....would you bots like to talk about how when McCain does talk he outlines specifics....soemthing obama can't do.

FedUpDem, Washington, DC (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:50 PM)

Poor Senator McCain ... his temper and frustration is starting to show already.

Making his campaign message after cues from Charlie Gibson?!?!

After Gibson participated in the ABC trashing of Senator Obama, I'm surprised the news guy still has a job.

Kathy, Pinellas Park, Florida (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:50 PM)

I just got off the phone with a very good business associate of mine, who I just discovered is a "staunch" conservative in his words. He just told me, there was never a case made for the war based on linking Sadam/Iraq with 9/11 (it was all about the WMD and protecting America) and that universal healthcare was going to move us toward socialism (the Canadians he said wait for weeks or months to see doctors etc). He is a great colleague of mine, but I have to say I am astonished to find truly intelligent people who have so bought the Bush/Republican line. I thought that because the Bush/Republican ideologies were so disliked, that McCain only had a chance by trying to re-find his maverick ideals, but now I see there are those who either really believe this stuff or have been so indoctrinated into it that the status quo is alright with them, no matter how they suffer.

B, New Jersey (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:51 PM)

I would have liked to have seen that, do you think it was as bad a the Lime Green Monster speech on Tuesday?

Diane M (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:52 PM)

Oh, and don't forget he wants to do for national healthcare what was done for usuary fees and credit cards back in the 70's allowing SD and DE to draw all the CC companies to their states and raise interest rates to 30% if they feel like it, even on old balances. but, guess where healthcare would be ruled from - AZ, that's right folks. somebody is in somebody's pocket on that one. but, then he doesn't identify healthcare as a major concern for America.

no country for old man (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:52 PM)

Shouldn't our next President be able to read? We already see where that lack of ability led us with George Bush...

Ron, TX (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:53 PM)

McCain is trying to redefine himself, now, because Obama's got him on the run.

Meanwhile, the people's Lieberman, the polls, have been shouting in his ear, for over a year.

Now he wants us to believe he's an Obama hugger/cousin.

donna (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:53 PM)

He really sounds like a grumpy old man. And he has been in politics "four score and seven years ago" so he should surely realize that it is the DEMOCRATIC party not the DEMOCRAT party as he so adorably called it today..

Kim W VA beach, VA (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:53 PM)

Did he grin and giggle like a mental patient again? That's always funny to watch.

Robert Hussien Harris, Buckeye, AZ (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:54 PM)

Did they have him in front of that green background again. Gotta love Rachel Maddow's line from CD with KO - she said that who ever thought up putting him in front of that background must have thought oh, let's do that because he doesn't look nauseous or twitchy enough otherwise.

Kate in Atlanta (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:54 PM)

Peace?

Seriously?

By not talking with anyone who doesn't agree with us before we talk to them, and bombing all who will not submit to our authority, John McCain's "peace" is going to put World War II to shame.

Hubris, thy name is McCain.

Nashville_fan (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:55 PM)

This is one of the funniest posts I've read in a long time. TODAY Charlie Gibson asked his to define his campaign. Where has he been the past 3 months when Barack and Hillary were competing.
McOld is for Peace, but will stay in Iraq for 100 years,
McOld is for prosperity, yet economics is his weak suit.
McOld is for reform, but he doesn't know what to fix.
This is one funny post.

Ron Indiana (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:55 PM)

What reform did McCain really talk about? If his idea of reform is to remove an agency that performs tasks for the good of the public, then he needs to reconsider what reform should be. There are ways to make government smaller and better at the same time, but I don't think that McCain or other Republicans have a good idea on that.

S.B. Stein E.B. NJ (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:55 PM)

seriously, who comes up with this?

peace through 100 years of iraq because he can't figure out a way to end the conflict?

prosperity because we still won't have health care coverage so hey, there's some extra money we can use to buy gas when it's $7 a gallon?

reform what exactly? the tax code? nope, he already said the bush tax cuts need to be made permanent. i know, maybe reform our stance on torture? no, he flip flopped on that to become what may be the only living POW to think ignoring the geneva convention is a good idea. hmmm, maybe he'll be more specific before he drops this so called slogan for something else tomorrow.

Was he a leader to believe in just on Tuesday night?

a leader you could believe in yesterday but not today or tomorrow (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:56 PM)

This teleprompter gaffe seems to be an example of poor judgment or poor self awareness: not knowing what one's strengths or weaknesses are. He must know that he is not good at this. Why not pick a speaking format that better suits him?

Heath Hightower, Windsor, CT (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:57 PM)

McCain.... you make a lot of sense to the UNEDUCATED, UNINFORMED TRAITOR EX-DEMOCRATS that profess their loyalty to your:

* War in IRAQ
* Lobbyist adviser who is heavily responsible for this mortgage crisis (Phil Gramm)
* Ability to only help those home owners that your administration would choose to help
* tax breaks for the wealthy and detriment to those on a fix income..
* inability to have your administration come to the aid of the AMERICAN people, but respond in a matter of minutes for the relief of those on the other side of the planet.. (Myanmarr victims vs. Louisiana Katrina victims). Examples of (excuse my french) two f*cked up governments...

Todd, NC (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:57 PM)

McCain is a real navy man. A real hero who deserves every vote. He's not a liar. Hilerys own female supporters are for him now because of all the cheating the lilberals did. McCain is straight talking and doesn't need scripts and has offered B. Obama town hall meetings and joined travel to save money in the election process.

dusual tx (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:58 PM)

The Bush admin said the same thing on Jan 1, 2004. Check out the NY times issue of Jan 1, 2004. He nothing but continuation of the Bush regime.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D06E4DC1E3EF932A35752C0A9629C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all

The Don, Missouri (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 3:59 PM)

Although AZ has been historically red, it also loves its maverick, independent image (ie, the former John McCain and Barry Goldwater). Our governor, Janet Napolitano, is Democrat and an early Obama supporter.

AZ is turning purple -- a few weeks ago, John McCain's polling numbers dropped from 20 pts to 11 pts against Obama. Many of our Republican friends and coworkers will vote for Obama -- they're tired of McCain and his Iraq policies. Plus, a lot of Californians are moving here (gotta love the west coast liberals!).

Finally, the state is getting younger and more diverse -- it's no longer a bastion of retirees with old money and Republican values. We also have 2 large public universities with thousands upon thousands of Obama supporters among their faculty and students.

It's a looooong shot for sure -- but McCain may not have a lock on his home state (think TN/NC for Gore/Edwards).

ever "hope"ful -- yes we can!

sara, nesa, az (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 4:01 PM)

Reform, Prosperity, and Peace? Is he running to be President in the 1950s or something???

Obama's response should be: No Bush, No Bush, No Bush!

Mister Anderson (The Matrix) (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 4:02 PM)

I gotta give McCain credit, this type of thing will be seen as authentic campaigning. I would like to ask Senator McCain to enforce a strict no lobbiest policy and refusal of PAC money by the RNC. Lets see how serious he is about reform

Tim, Reading, PA (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 4:03 PM)

Laughing my head off.
Reform - of even MORE tax breaks for the wealthy
Prosperity - only for some
Peace - paradoxically through war

God I hope he sticks by these for the GE. He won't have an ancient leg to stand on.

Rob, Philly (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 4:04 PM)

He is starting to sound like another 'change' candidate. But the only thing he plans to change is his message. It will change to whichever audience he is in front of. Isn't there a diagnosis for this? Have a message, and stay on task. How does he dare now proclaim to be the 'peace and prosperity' candidate. Hypocrisy should be his middle name. What kind of reform is he talking about? He sponsored the McCain Feingold campaign finance reform bill which allowed only himself to benefit from the 'loophole' where he gets to use his wife's corporate jet and it doesn't count as a favor. Also, less than five months ago he stood on a stage and stated that 'most people would agree they are not hurting from the economy'. Do I even need to mention the 'bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran' comment? Seriously? He is saying all of this with a straight face. C'mon America, we are smarter than this. We need to demand more from our leaders. Think until it hurts, and then follow it up with some research! And then, Think some more!

Clara Kansas City, MO (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 4:05 PM)

Is a Bill-O'Reilyan teleprompter rant in poor McCain's future?

I hope not. I feel for McCain. I'd hate to see him have a meltdown in publec.

I give him credit for abandoning the fool thing. As a public speaker, and exprofessional vocalist, I've had to improvise a ton of times too.

I feel you Senator McCain.

donna (Sent Thursday, June 05, 2008 4:05 PM)

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