I didn't watch McCain's speech live, but catching it now, the observation that it was a bit lackluster seems accurate. He certainly didn't do anything to distinguish himself from George W. Bush on any single item of policy; if he has a different agenda, he certainly didn't identify it. Two lines on health care stuck out at me:
We believe in a ... culture of life. ...Government that doesn't make your choices for you, but works to make sure you have more choices to make for yourself.
Unless you're a woman. Then you do not get to make choices for yourself. On Obama's health care plan:
His plan will ... force families into a government run health care system where a bureaucrat stands between you and your doctor.
Whereas McCain's plan will force women into a health care system where ... the government stands between you and your doctor. On to energy:
Senator Obama thinks we can achieve energy independence without more drilling and without more nuclear power. But Americans know better than that.
I should hope they do. Obama signed onto a compromise bill this summer that would allow domestic drilling while providing ambitious funding to other energy programs. McCain the Maverick refused to sign on. In fact, McCain missed the last eight votes.
Here's the problem with McCain trying to claim he represents change and reform: He can't give a single example of what that would entail. My friends, that's not change you can believe in.
--Tim Fernholz
