Change We Can Believe In—John McCain?

If I recall correctly, John McCain said he would run a positive campaign. After all, McCain is a statesman, a war hero and Mr. Straight Talk Express.

As it turns out, McCain changed his mind. Within the last three weeks, McCain has released a furry of on air and internet ads that are anything but “positive.” In my opinion, running a positive campaign means just that. You positively present yourself and your positions without presenting your opponent as negative, or running ads that tear down your opponent with outrageous claims or images that misrepresent your opponent’s words, or border on slander or libel. However, this is exactly what McCain has done. The straight-talking statesman has morphed into Mr. Negative Numero Uno.

If we can’t count on McCain to keep a simple promise to run a positive campaign, how can we count on him to deliver on larger promises regarding our nation’s economy or national security?

Before Hillary Clinton succeeded the primary race to Barack Obama, John McCain was civil—even cordial to Obama, and quickly and fiercely denounced negative campaigning and below-the-belt punches—such as one radio host’s introduction of McCain while stressing Obama’s middle name, “Hussein.”

However, since the campaign has turned into a two-man race between McCain and Obama, McCain appears to have changed and back-tracked 180 degrees on his “no negative campaigning” pledge. From McCain’s ads, we’re learning more about what Senator Barack Obama is not than what Senator John McCain is.

McCain’s ads have exposed us to Paris Hilton, Brittany Spears, and stark quotes from Hillary Clinton and Joseph Biden in five separate campaign commercials. It’s clear that John McCain has decided that the best way for him to win is to use smear tactics against Obama, images of suicide bombers and fear to motivate Americans to vote for himself (McCain).

Ironically, in spite of McCain’s clear negative campaigning, he says that he doesn’t believe he is being negative “in the slightest.” Perhaps McCain’s view of “negative” is different than the average person—just as his view of the economy (being fundamentally strong) is different from average person.

McCain said he would be a positive campaigner, yet he’s changed his tune. Clearly, in John McCain there is change we can believe in—that is in his propensity to change his mind and his direction. So just what tune will he be singing come January if elected? Will McCain be the McCain the strong, independent maverick, or will he continue courting conservatives as he’s now doing and tow the party line? Which McCain will America get? We really don’t know.

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(View McCain's negative ads on his You Tube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/JohnMcCaindotcom)