McCain On The Stump Today: I'm A Fighter...Live on FNC Now

With 3 weeks to go before the election McCain seems to be trying out a new tact on the trail. He's not retooling his entire campaign as Bill Kristol suggested in the NY Times, nor will he be trotting out new economic plans as some thought as late as yesterday. He's about to speak in Virginia (it's on FNC right now) and he's giving a state of the race speech where he hearkens back to the end of his convention speech and promises to fight for the country.

We have 22 days to go. We’re 6 points down. The national media has written us off. Senator Obama is measuring the drapes, and planning with Speaker Pelosi and Senator Reid to raise taxes, increase spending, take away your right to vote by secret ballot in labor elections, and concede defeat in Iraq. But they forgot to let you decide. My friends, we’ve got them just where we want them.

What America needs in this hour is a fighter; someone who puts all his cards on the table and trusts the judgment of the American people. I come from a long line of McCains who believed that to love America is to fight for her. I have fought for you most of my life. There are other ways to love this country, but I’ve never been the kind to do it from the sidelines.

I know you’re worried. America is a great country, but we are at a moment of national crisis that will determine our future. Will we continue to lead the world’s economies or will we be overtaken? Will the world become safer or more dangerous? Will our military remain the strongest in the world? Will our children and grandchildren’s future be brighter than ours?

My answer to you is yes. Yes, we will lead. Yes, we will prosper. Yes, we will be safer. Yes, we will pass on to our children a stronger, better country. But we must be prepared to act swiftly, boldly, with courage and wisdom.

No mention of Ayers and no mention of Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac.

It's hard to say if this is a new approach (though Fox did call it 'a new stump speech') or just a one day thing and we'll get back to the other stuff for the rest of the campaign.

Personally, I was hopeful at the reports that he was going to offer some conservative, market oriented economic policies to deal with the economy but I'm not surprised he backed off that.

Bottom line...it's not good news when the Republican candidate has to stump in Virginia Beach 3 weeks out from the election. Here's hoping he finds the right message.

posted by DrewM. at 11:30 AM

| Access Comments