The Blog @ Spolitics

McCain Misses an Opportunity and Obama Gives Us Just Funny Words

McCain advisor and former Seantor Phil Gramm’s comments about a “mental recession” were definitely — as the Obama campaign might say – inartful, especially his characterization of America as a nation of whiners.  It’s clear that Gramm was referring to America’s leaders, not the American people, but of course the Obama campaign wasted no time spinning this as the McCain camp belittling Americans. 

McCain distanced himself from Gramm’s remarks and expressed an almost unpalatable amount of empathy for Americans who are struggling.  What he didn’t demonstrate was leadership. 

There was truth to Gramm’s comments, notably that the overall economy is not as bad as it is being reported in the press.  But persistent pessimism can have a self-fulfilling effect and if people believe the situation is hopeless, it’s only going to get worse.  What America needs now is a shot of confidence in the vein of Roosevelt’s “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” 

McCain could have used this as an opportunity to show that kind of leadership.  He could have said that while he definitely disagreed with the characterization of America as a nation of whiners, that Gramm made a point worth noting… that America is a strong nation and that no matter what challenges we face — and be sure, we are facing challenges right now – we will respond to those challenges, we will overcome them, and we will emerge an even stronger nation.  Instead he told us he felt our pain.

At least, McCain can take solace in the fact that Obama missed the opportunity to show leadership on this point as well.  Obama responded by getting snarky, cracking wise and making jokes.  Perhaps most perplexing was Obama’s crass dismissal of the idea that policies can have psychological benefits.  Odd coming from the man who lionized Roosevelt’s “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself” line in his (and Deval Patrick’s) ”Just Words?” speech.  (Apparently Obama would lump Roosevelt in with Dr. Phil, too.) 

Someone might want to educate Senator Obama on things like consumer confidence, investor confidence and, you know, the main purpose of the FDIC.  It’d be nice if a wannabe President understood those things.