State Senator Paul Stanley - District 31

McCain falters; can Thompson siphon Big Mo?

Otis Sanford, Commercial Appeal
April 22, 2007

Republican John McCain abruptly paused midway through his speech last week to the Economic Club of Memphis.

There was nothing wrong with the oversized and somewhat distracting teleprompter at the back of the room. It continued to properly feed McCain his prepared lines.

So what caused the four-term Arizona senator to stumble before a polite group of business leaders and GOP loyalists?

"I lost my place," he told the packed audience at the University of Memphis Holiday Inn.

Has he ever.

Less than six months ago, McCain was practically on cruise control as the recognized front-runner for the GOP nomination for president in 2008. Fiscal conservatives, still the most dominant force in the party, liked his outspoken opposition to runaway government spending, his support for free trade and school choice.

For them and the party's more strident right-wing who liked his war talk, McCain provided a much stronger level of comfort than chief rivals Rudolph Giuliani or Mitt Romney.

But as his opponents gained traction, McCain's campaign sputtered. Then came McCain's heavily criticized April Fool's Day trek through a Baghdad market and his declaration to skeptical Americans that things were better in the war zone.

Suddenly his poll numbers plummeted as his rivals surpassed him in fund-raising.

And then the worst news of all for the McCain camp: Former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson, a bona fide star, was seriously entertaining pleas that he make a presidential bid.

All of which made McCain's visit to Memphis last Monday crucial for local Republicans looking for a reason to climb aboard his Straight Talk Express.

The Economic Club billed the luncheon as McCain's first major economic policy speech. His appearance, the club pointed out, was not a campaign event, and the $45 cost for club members and guests would not go into the candidate's coffers.

Still the event was more stump speech than public policy address as McCain several times prefaced his comments with, "If I'm elected president ... "

The speech itself contained language many in the room could embrace -- indefensible government spending, the need to reform Social Security and line-item veto power to help curb pork-barrel projects.

But McCain totally failed to give the audience what it wanted most -- a passion and spirit for the presidency.

In fact, FedEx founder Frederick W. Smith delivered much more punch in his introduction and endorsement of McCain.

The senator never deviated from the prepared remarks coming from the big screen, not even to acknowledge the tragic shootings hours earlier at Virginia Tech.

He also took no questions from the audience, something one local party leader said could have "dug him out of the ditch."

Bill Giannini, Shelby County Republican Party chairman, was among many who left disappointed. "It was bad," he said.

Other than when McCain got lost, "the only two words he didn't read off the teleprompter were 'hello' and 'goodbye.'

"I understand his schedule and the things he's got to do right now. He's probably got the best perspective and resume" of any candidate, Giannini said.

But on this day, "he lacked emotion. He has not only stumbled, but fallen."

State Sen. Paul Stanley of Germantown, an up-and-coming voice among state Republicans, also was unimpressed with McCain's speech.

"I was expecting more policy and economic issues than what was delivered," he said.

Stanley agreed the audience gave McCain a courteous response, but added, "I don't detect a lot of people are on the McCain bandwagon."

And local GOP strategist John Ryder said McCain also missed an opportunity to lay out a cogent tax reform plan and to clearly explain his position on Iraq.

Which leaves local Republicans with fingers crossed that the affable Thompson, a U of M graduate, will soon enter the race. And all signs say that he will. Why else would he reveal a serious medical condition now so that it would be old news by the time he announces?

"Fred Thompson is a guy's guy and a girl's guy," Stanley said. "He's the kind of guy that men want to hang out with and women find attractive."

The next countywide election cycle is a critical time for the Shelby County GOP. Confidence in President Bush has waned with an unpopular war and other administration bungling. Plus the continued exodus of residents from Shelby means the party will likely lose its hold on several county offices the next time around.

The party, locally and nationally, is in need of a presidential candidate who is competent and decisive, who is a communicator, and who can effectively counter the perceived luster of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

Several influential Republicans and business leaders walked out of the Economic Club gathering convinced that McCain is not that person.

Perhaps Thompson can be.