McCain rallies his troops

tauringhuang.

Sep 5th 2008 | ST PAUL
From Economist.com

John McCain fires up the Republicans, but Sarah Palin remains the main talking point


AFPJOHN MCCAIN considers himself a man of action, whereas his rival, Barack Obama, is merely a man of words. That message came across loud and clear on the evening of Thursday September 4th, as the Republicans wrapped up their convention in St. Paul, Minnesota. Mr McCain’s closing speech charmed his crowd, a Republican base that has not always loved him. He did so with biography and grit, not rhetorical prowess. As a result the party appears fired up and ready to go.

The Republicans have endured a dramatic week. After Mr McCain announced, a week ago, that Sarah Palin would be his running mate, the inexperienced governor generated headlines for several days. As Hurricane Gustav sheared off the first day of the convention, revelations that Mrs Palin's 17-year-old daughter was pregnant distracted the press. Then Mrs Palin, the 44-year-old, short-term governor of Alaska, took to the stage on Wednesday and delivered a speech that thrilled conservatives, in large part for her jabs against Mr Obama. The convention-goers loved it, as did many watching from their living rooms. Mr Obama drew 38.4m viewers when he addressed the Democratic convention in the previous week; Mrs Palin attracted a similarly mighty 37.2m.

Thus Mr McCain had to show that he could perform too. His running mate had delivered attacking lines, but Mr McCain provided a more sober, personal address on the idea of service, centred on his own remarkable story, notably those years in prison in North Vietnam. He also bolstered his reputation as an independent-minded politician, speaking about corruption among Republicans in Washington, DC, and pledging to crack down on such behaviour. It was a brave move and the crowd cheered.

Mr McCain never staked his reputation on his making speeches and the last night was as much a party-wide celebration of finding its collective voice as it was a rally around its man. Mr McCain and Mrs Palin make a striking ticket: an old maverick and a young darling of the conservatives. Both claim that Mr Obama has been a bit too fast in his ambition. They may yet persuade some independents and swing-voters to think about giving the Republicans another turn in the White House, if Mr McCain can push his own theme of reform and getting rid of corruption.

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It may help, too, if voters expect the Democrats to have control of both the Senate and the House after the congressional elections. Certainly the presence of Joe Lieberman endorsing his old friend Mr McCain this week might have given some voters—however sick of George Bush—the idea that the Republican candidate represents change of a sort. On the other hand voters may worry that a vote for the older, unorthodox Mr McCain could, if he falls ill, bring an untested, young and extremely conservative candidate to the most powerful job on the planet. Traditionally voters are swayed by the top of the ticket, not by the vice-presidential candidate, but this election—as in so many other ways—could yet prove to be different.