washingtonpost.com
McCain in 2004
<< McCain is in a position to be the Ronald Reagan of 1976: the insurgent making a run at the establishment, falling short, grudgingly supporting the nominee, and then having his vision of the future of the party vindicated by his rival's defeat in November.
Like Reagan, and unlike Bill Bradley, McCain is in no great hurry to endorse the man who beat him. McCain is not very good at obeisance. He can bide his time and deliver the endorsement after a decent interval--at the convention, for example, when it will have maximum impact. Reagan, after all, kicked off his '80 campaign with his stunning '76 convention speech.
McCain, 63, is just young enough for that.
Reagan was 65 in '76. McCain, however, has suffered physically more than most men his age. He might think that this is his last chance. It isn't. >> |
