Remember this famous line from Michael Dukakis’ 1988 acceptance speech for the Democratic nomination?
"This election isn’t about ideology. It’s about competence."
It didn’t sell all that well then, and I am not advocating resurrecting it for this campaign.
But competence is something the Obama campaign needs to start talking about.
Starting today.
The idiotic error by the McCain campaign last night, to project a picture of the wrong Walter Reed building behind a candidate for president at the worst possible time – during his acceptance speech – was, despite the embarrassment, at its core just silly. The failure to vet Sarah Palin, and the irresponsibility of nevertheless trying to elect her to a post just a 72-year-old heartbeat away from the presidency, is deadly serious.
Both failures, however, demonstrate a pattern. (Feel free to point out others in the comments.) It is a pattern of sloppiness and inattention to detail in a political organization. An organization led by a man who wants us to trust him to properly manage our environment, our economy and our military – essentially to put the lives of millions in his butterfinger hands.
Sweeping all questions of issues and policy and ideology aside, the comparison could not be more stark. Obama has run a campaign that has been almost flawless. He won a nomination battle with a strong, smart, experienced opponent with plenty of money and powerful allies. His convention was a political triumph that exceeded all expectations, despite widespread predictions of anarchy and resentment. We are on the verge of electing this nation’s first African-American president practically a generation earlier than most observers would have thought possible even four years ago, and it is because that man has organized and managed brilliantly, putting together a solid team of intelligent, dedicated, highly competent people to execute his vision.
The McCain campaign, which teetered on the edge of bankruptcy for weeks, staggered across the GOP finish line only because the rest of the field was so much worse. I’m tempted to think that, despite the vitriol with which she is viewed by their base, Hillary Clinton could have won the Republican nomination this year just by being so much smarter and more skillful than the competition.
As a leader and manager, John McCain has failed. His campaign flails around in utter disarray, with one pitiful screw-up after another. Run the country? I wouldn’t let these people run a fraternity kegger.