A New Post from Stella Rondo

More Stella Rondo goodness for you. :-)

I have to agree with my good friend Mr. Lindaman in his recent criticism of talk radio ("The Cutting Edge Sliced the Wrong Way.") I've been a little miffed at Rush and Sean and Laura et al myself for some time now. Rush in particular seems to have some personal animus towards McCain, although I'm certain that will abate as the prospect of President Obama looms larger.

But why am I annoyed? Because for people who profess how much they 'get it' - they are REALLY not getting it in regards to McCain at all. Their criticism of McCain's campaign is seen through their prism of the media, and like all media people, they think it all begins and end with them.

But let me suggest another perspective: McCain is a military man, and is viewing his campaign as a war. He didn't survive 20+ years in the military, 5+ years in a POW camp, and 26+ years in the Senate by being an affable people pleaser. (If Obama fears for his manhood, it's not Jackson he should watch - McCain will have them in his back pocket before Obama even knows they're gone, all the while smiling that smile right in Obama's face.) The tactics McCain is employing are quite different from those the press keep hammering on him to use.

First, I think McCain took the measure of Obama in short order and has decided he's a self inflated featherweight. Consequently, he knows that Obama will eventually start believing his own press clippings, and will start tripping over his own - um - you know. As General Patton once said, "If your enemy is intent on destroying himself, don't stand in his way." And the Democrat record for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory is well documented.

So McCain has nothing to lose at this point by being the gracious gentleman, killing his enemy with kindness. He must also know it doesn't hurt to let your enemy think that you are befuddled, maybe a little weak, and a lot confused.

Media people do not understand that 'not having a strategy' and 'not telling the enemy your strategy' are two different things. I think McCain knows full well what he is doing - he just doesn't feel the need to telegraph it to the world. (I've often said that if I ever played poker, I'd want to do it with a table full of liberal media types. These folks would be showing me their hands after the third deal, in the name of 'fairness.')

McCain, as a military man, also knows that you don't fire off all your ammo until your enemy is in one place. You especially don't fire all your ammo until you're sure who the enemy IS. (Can any of us say for certain that Hillary WON'T mount a floor fight at the convention, and end up with the nomination?)

So I think that McCain is holding back, allowing Obama to trip all over himself (which he is starting to do), saving his ammo for the time when it's going to count the most, and keeping his own counsel. Patience and silence are two things anyone who works in the media cannot hope to understand.

A final word to Rush/Sean/Laura, and anyone else who laments that McCain is not Reagan Redux. Regardless of how you feel about your team, you don't win by telling the world how lousy you think they are. At some point, you get over that 'your guy' didn't win, put your emotions aside, and support the guy who did. And if you can't muster up enough screaming FOR McCain, perhaps screaming AGAINST Obama will have to do.