A blog about politics.

The Last McCain Campaign Rally

Election '08 Trivia: What were the last three words spoken by John McCain at a political rally in his campaign for president? Answer: "I love it."

It was an ad-lib, at the end of his standard stump, the one where he says he is an American and will stand up to fight, the one where he talks up Sarah Palin and calls his senate colleague "Joe the Biden," the one where he says Barack Obama is untested, unlike him. "I love it," he said, as the music kicked in. Then he flashed a thumbs up. Waved to the crowd. And McCain was done. (Only a meeting with volunteers in New Mexico remains later this afternoon.)

Nostalgia infuses the McCain campaign in these final hours. Last night, in Prescott, Ariz., Cindy McCain seemed to choke up introducing her husband. The staff dismantled the teleprompter and McCain ran the rally without notes, walking the stage, like an after-midnight Town Hall without any questions. This morning, McCain and his wife posed on the Phoenix tarmac for a group picture with his traveling press and then with his own staff. "I knew it would come to this," he joked, as he took his place to pose with the press.

At the final rally, in Grand Junction, Colo., the crowd or around 1,000 cheered wildly. But, in a departure from most McCain rallies, there were no spontaneous "Drill Baby Drill" chants. McCain noticed the omission. "I think we ought to hear one more time," McCain said. "Drill Baby Drill!" His supporters were happy to oblige.

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  • 2

    Well, I'm glad they could top us off with one last blast of stupid.

  • 3

    How telling is it that he felt the need to go back for one last bit of stupid demagoguery? A spectacle at once pathetic and infuriating, right to the end.

  • 4

    Michael is finally getting tough on the McCain campaign I see.

    I am pretty baffled. It's the last day of the election and you are still running this stuff? No offense, but come on. Unless you are planning to write the official campaign diary(authorized), I don't see why you just do the equivalent of press releases.

    Even AMC wasn't swallowing the Iowa is a nailbiter spin that you happily repeated. I am not going to yell, or call you names, but this is pretty sad MS. Seriously. I would rather you bash Obama or something. This fluffery is just pointless.

  • 5

    The McCain camp and their friends at Fox are running hard with the scary black panther party is going to steal your votes. Nice way to end the campaign. Yet, more fluff from you.

    Perhaps you don't see race (baiting). I just don't get you.

  • 6

    I am terrified of blacks and panthers. Black Panthers -- Dear God, I'm shaking over here.

  • 7

    McCain seemed emotional in Arizona as well, there was blubbery in his voice. Guess he realized that the Faustian bargains he's made over the years to get the presidency cost him much and never even panned out.

    Oh, and his droning on about the First Dude's snowmobile adventures? I'm not sure that's what the American public is demanding to hear as our house of cards presently collapses.

  • 8

    Any truth to the rumor that McCain will commit ritual suicide and his sycophants will be interred alive with him?

  • 9

    Hey Scherer, any thoughts on new evidence of wrongdoing in the Keating 5 Scandal?

    http://www.tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=a98690e8-d6b0-44fa-a3f0-c76414c3c9da

  • 10

    I don't know about McCain's last rally, but I know what a good rally looks like:
    .

  • 11

    I checked with my wife, and she hasn't been attacked by any black panthers. Please share your experiences of brutal attacks by black panthers here.

  • 12

    1,000 people??? He could have went on home instead of wasting his time with that.

  • 13

    We can rely on Mike to begin the revisionist interpretation of the Mac campaign, starting apparently before he even loses (knock knock). Not that he's managed to call him out on very much despite his onslaught of posts over the last 6 months. Mike the "Equivaletor" Scherer. You too can associate with scum, playing every devious card available to you, using scorched earth tactics, AND FAIL, but don't worry, hagiography awaits thee when fanboys like Mike are done.

  • 14

    I saw one clip a little while ago, and I suddenly expected to hear him say "By Grapthor's Hammer, we will be avenged"

  • 15

    It was the CO clip, actually. 1,000? That's it. wow.

  • 16

    "McCain noticed the omission. "I think we ought to hear one more time," McCain said. "Drill Baby Drill!" His supporters were happy to oblige."

    vile to the very end. how very fitting.

  • 17

    Now I get while he did SNL

  • 18

    oops - posted that one a lttile too early. I meant to say now I why McCain did SNL, he knew there would be nothing positive coming from his camp in the last days. CNN are trying to say he hasn't bashed Obama since last night -- yeah I guess they figure that those wright ads playing every ten minutes don't count because its the rnc -- yeah right.

  • 19

    I thought the drilling ban expired, so what does "Drill baby drill" have to do with the election? I'm scared this idiot could still win.
    -
    And, this may be my last time to state: Fuck the moderator bot.

  • 20

    What's that last ride on the tire swing like? What's the sunset look like in Sedona tonight, smell of barbecue javelina in the air? Pine needles falling on an empty lawn chair, as you watch mournfully from the window.

  • 21

    I love It? Isn't that the McDonalds slogan? Or is that Gotta Love It?

  • 22

    I'm Lovin' It. Yeah, I think that is it.

  • 23

    He may be lovin' it, but he's going to have a LOT of 'splainin to do when he slinks sorrily back into the Senate chamber...

  • 24

    Election '08 Trivia: What were the last three words spoken by John McCain at a political rally in his campaign for president? Answer: "I love it."

    Ooh! I think I'll wear earplugs the rest of my life so that those are the last words I ever hear.

  • 25

    You think anyone's going to feel sorry for this guy? Forget it. I saw those commercials that have been running the last two days. Tanks and shots of Ahmadinejad and oh so scary we're all gonna die...fear fear hate fear hate drill fear hate hate fear hate

    Meanwhile, I've spent the day reading lots of e-mails from voters to bloggers about their experiences, waiting in line and voting with their children, and what today means to them. Now that chokes me up.

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