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As a political matter, I do not think many people were focused on McCain's specifics. There is a section of the electorate that is continually in search of a "populist" champion, someone who will "return government to the American people", restrain the "special interests", and so forth. Those themes have become Republican, because Washington is deemed too unaccountable. "K Street" (or "Gucci Gulch") has become the "Wall Street" or "Madison Avenue" of the turn of the century. McCain, although a long time Senator tainted by the Keating Five scandal, managed to play against the "Establishment" aspect of the Bush candidacy, and flog "soft money" reform as an antidote to the "special interests", in order to create a "populist" image. Now that he is gone, Bush will emphasize his outside the Beltway experience, his ability to get things done as a governor, and the need to end "gridlock", and will inherit the mantle of "populist reformer" from McCain, regardless of specifics......... |
