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Why'd You Ditch My Dad Transcript
In a Daily Beast video debate, Meghan McCain confronts her father’s former adviser Mark McKinnon about why he abandoned the McCain campaign when Obama won the primary. Plus, their conversation about why Obama will eventually be “uncool,” why it’s strange to be a 24-year-old Republican—and how the McCain family really felt on inauguration day.
Did Mark McKinnon have a problem with John McCain? Not really—but he tells Meghan he did have a problem with the idea of attacking Obama’s “historic candidacy.”
Meghan McCain: I just think a lot of people are curious about that. You just thought at the last minute that President Obama antithesized more what you wanted the direction the country to go in?
Mark McKinnon: Not so much. I was 100 percent for your dad from the beginning to the very end. I was never conflicted about that. The only think I was conflicted about was running a campaign attacking Obama. I’d spent a little bit of time with him, and read his books, and had a sense of what the campaigns might be like, and as I flashed forward to what—at that time—seemed like an improbability, that it would be your dad and Obama running against each other. But I flashed forward and just had a sense that I would be uncomfortable in the front chair attacking this historic candidacy.
And I tell you it was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made in my life, because I love your dad so much, and have spent so much time with you, and everybody else. And it really was a band of brothers and sisters. So that day and that week that I had to walk away was excruciating. And I was so stressed out I thought my head was going to explode. But your dad was incredibly gracious about it, and said he understood, and said that he’d really appreciated the time that I’d spent with the campaign and being part of the team.
Is the Republican Party dead? Meghan on why it’s strange to be a 24-year-old Republican—and Mark on why supporting Obama will soon be “uncool.”
McCain: I think that what’s interesting right now is that in a lot of ways the Republican Party has died. I wonder, from your perspective, because you are such good friends with President Bush—you were just on a plane with him—what do you think went so wrong with communication and just in general? I know, for me, I’m 24 years old, and when I go out, people are often surprised, obviously if they don’t know me, that I’m a 24-year-old Republican and why? My political beliefs have changed. I was an independent at the beginning of the campaign and when I was in college. Now I do consider myself a Republican, just because I spent two years educating myself. So what do you think is so wrong?
McKinnon: Well, first of all, it’s never popular among young people to be part of the establishment. It is right now because Obama was just elected. You know, four years from now, or eight years from now, it may not be so cool to be part of the establishment.
McCain: That’s a very good point. I never thought of that, actually.
McKinnon: Yeah, it’s just never cool to be part of the establishment. And it turns out we were part of the establishment for eight years, so younger voters were turning away. And so that’ll change over time. But again, I think that politics is about the marketplace of ideas, and the market are voters. And as Dick Gephardt said it in a forum I did with him a couple of weeks ago: “Politics gets pretty messy, but it’s a better alternative than violence.”
And so, it’s important, these things that we struggle for. And Republicans, they got whipped pretty good this time, and we’re going to have to regroup and figure out ways to start communicating in a way that’s friendlier and faster and smarter.
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There is only one problem with the argument that Obama will be the establishment eventually. Young people hate everything the Republicans stand for. This idea that young people just automatically are attracted to the antiestablishment party out of power is ridiculous and insulting to their intelligence. What exactly would attract them to the party? Would it be the bigotry? The xenophobia? Or perhaps it would be the economic policies designed to line the pockets of big corporations and take resources from the less fortunate, which are usually younger. Yeah, there's alot there for the younger generation.
The real thread of the election wasn't Blue or Red or Left or Right. It really came down to which candidate was most connected to the American public's view of who they were and where they wanted to go. Given the times we are living in now party is less relevant then ever and rallying around the center will bring true fruition to a battered economy and country.
A "debate" is a formal discussion in which opposing points of view are argued, presumably by modestly articulate parties.
"so, how are you doing and how's your mom" falls somewhat short of that definition.
Beast, why do you inflict this drivel upon us?
Your dad ditched your dad.
I became a Republican because of this election. I admired John McCain so much, and despised the kinds of unfair attacks the Democrats used against him and Sarah Palin. So I'm just now getting psyched up about the Republican Party. But I'd like to see it go in a McCain direction--classy and willing to work with Democrats at times, and against torture and global warming, and for the environment and a humane immigration policy. I think more people will be willing to vote for them if they adopt those positions.
This article represents 5 minutes of my life I'll never get back--useless.
Wow Mark, I am still blown away when I watch you extolling Bush and his Junta. Being friends in the '70s, I watched with pride as you were led away in handcuffs to the Austin jail for not revealing your sources for revealing the goods on a corrupt politico while reporting for the Daily Texan. And that was child's play compared to Bush's catastrophe.
You can be so zen and aware one moment and then completely absent as in this discussion. Stumbling over your verbalizations and ideas with an airhead. I do not believe anything you are saying here, and I don't think you do either in your heart of hearts.
What has happened to my loving, sensitive, kind, liberal, songwriting friend. I still see flashes of him, but am very concerned a large portion of him has been Sold American.
My hope is that you will take some time for reflection to regain some clarity my friend.
baigge -
a "McCain direction" is classy? McCain was anything but classy during the campaign. He may have been honorable in 2000, but he shed it all with his desperate, clawing grab for power. Unfair attacks against Palin and McCain? Please elaborate. Just remember that sometimes the truth has a liberal slant.
My wife and I were both going to vote for McCain if HRC was nominated. But when Obama was nominated thats all she wrote.We were so turned off by your dad we couldn't believe how he campaigned. But now that the election is over I think McCain should get a medal. He constantly smeared Obama with Bill Ayeres etc, but he never crossed the line. He never went the racist route. Which would have been so easy for any opponent to do to Obama. I think that was Mr. McKinnon's fear. I still can't believe this country elected a black man. But I am sure you will get to see your father now more than once a year at camp David, by god he would have inherited Bush's mess. Just not fair! So John McCain has now gone back to being our hero.
Wow.... people are surprised when they learn that John McCain's daughter is a Republican?
What a pointless interview. This discussion highlights precisely what the problem is with the Republican party. They think people don't understand them or their disgraced President. That is not it at all. People understand their politics and that is why they are disliked right now. George Bush wasn't booed at inauguration day because of media slander, he was booed because he wasted tremendous amounts of political capital after 9/11 and left the entire country asking "is this man arrogant or just ignorant?"
I felt like my spirit was whisked away from heart when John McCain was so badly whipped by a well organized community organizer. I truly wonder how can so many people be blinded. But as a true believer in our country, I realized I had to force myself to be supportive of this very inexperineced President. I realized the majority of these new voters have no memory of the "Carter years" and what his inexperience did to this country. I thought maybe I am out of touch. Obama's first 4 days in office have proven differently. Unfortunately, I predict after 2 years the young "groupies" and
Obamidites will fall out of love with Obamas' powerful oratoral skills and he will be seen for what he is, a very skiffful lawyer, even I will give him credit for this. I am praying Congress will come to their senses and not allow the honeymoon to last too long before he does more damage than in the last 4 days.
Heartbroken in Florida
At last. A journalist who makes Sarah Palin look like an intellectual giant and a master of rhetoric by comparison. "Antithesizes"? Watched the inauguration to see Michelle Obama's dress? Wonders why people didn't get that Pres. Bush was really sweet? Smart Democrats will want this young Republican to remain as visible as possible. That McKinnon didn't walk away from this "interview" is a better index of his loyalty to John McCain than any words he could ever utter. Or is it just his willingness to suffer fools, gladly or otherwise?
I do like McCain. I was considering voting for him - then his campaign went sidways. It just very simply "got weird" and it disturbed me. It left me having to look at who seemed to be more capable and solid by the campaign.
I needed to see McCain to be solid, ignoring the left/right spinning and fighting and to be what I thought he really was. It just did not happen.
We don't need any more radio show host like rhetoric like Rush Limbaugh running for President. We don't need anymore of that from either side. We needed someone sturdy and real. Everyone gets tired of that kind of finger pointing blah blah blah.
John McCain crafted a "maverick" image all the time that he mostly followed the conservative creed. As 2008 approached, all the signs were there that John had already pretty much sold his soul in the quest for president. Palin was pretty much the coup de grace in that her choice was an obvious Limbaugh-like quest for ideological purity and continued (from Bush) total incompetance.
Republicans, like many other predatory American corporations, really don't get it. They think that image is everyting. Thus the ongoing disaster that was the Bush administration turns out to be, to them, a public relations failure rather than the recognition of what it really was, in most part, a plundering of the future for everyone that wasn't in the top 10% income strata.
We are fortunate to have Obama. I am sure that the Empire's real masters will eventually blunt the needed reforms. But maybe not? Maybe ordinary people do have a chance?
well said cearbhallain!
How can you claim to be a journalist, and or to have "educated" yourself about the issues, but refuse to watch the inauguration? Sounds like you're more interested in reinforcing your views than expanding your understanding of what's going on...
"You just thought at the last minute that President Obama antithesized more what you wanted the direction the country to go in?"
Ms. McCain went to Columbia?? Evidently she didn't major (or minor) in English, rhetoric or logic.
Are you serious with this blog?
Useless.
McKinnon: So how are you doing these days, and how's your mom doing?
McCain: I'm good. I'm really good. I'm working here at The Daily Beast, and I'm glad to see many people from the campaign are working on it, too. And everybody's good . . . I'm in a good place.
McKinnon: Good, that's great to hear.
This sounds less like political discourse and more like two former rehab patients -- a somewhat vapid young woman and an older guy in sales or advertising -- getting together after their stint in an upscale drying-out facility.
And it's all advertised as a "confronting," "grilling," and "debate."
It certainly makes for one bizarre fraud.
For someone with this much education to write and speak this way is astonishing. May I request her mother get her a copy of The Elements of Style at once? Such insight for the readers of this paper! President Bush is "really" sweet. Sorry sweetie. After eight years we haven't seen sweetness. Look up "water boarding" and "torture" on your Blackberry. Daily Beast I expect the best, not the least.
Cearbhallain-
I so agree. I want to put your comment up in lights!
"Republicans, like many other predatory American corporations, really don't get it. They think that image is everyting. Thus the ongoing disaster that was the Bush administration turns out to be, to them, a public relations failure rather than the recognition of what it really was, in most part, a plundering of the future for everyone that wasn't in the top 10% income strata."
Cearbhallain is quite correct. It's like the sudden love fest the Republicans have with Bobby Jindal and Joseph Cao - they think if they get their own brown person the party will rise again. Um, news flash fellows - if your candidates are toeing the party line it doesn't matter what color they are. The American people have rejected the politics of hate and fear, and all the brown-skinned candidates in the world won't change how they feel about your policies.
I do not care if you are clueless Meghan....You are a wealthy heiress with enormous breasts. That is good enough for me.
HI Meghan,
I like your style of writing. It's easy to understand. Most people start writing and you can't get what they are trying to say. So thank you for that! I read your blogette during the campaign and absolutely loved it. You are genuine and honest, and that is refreshing. I hope you keep writing more articles~ Good Luck!
~ Danielle
The GOP, you vapid cow, does not need to figure out ways to communicate that are faster, friendlier and get the chili-cheese fries to the table twice as fast. They need to acknowledge reality and develop a few informed ideas about the environment, about separation of church and state, about education and foreign affairs and economy oversight that match the majority of this country's voters. NOT the Limbaugh-inspired, lunatic fringe element that is all the GOP has left.
Never mind. We can get by with the Independent Party as the second party.
A couple of people have mentioned this already, but really: "antithesized"? On the same site as Christopher Buckley? Argh.
when the republicans stop ignoring science and evidence, then i will give them a serious chance. homos exist and always have, so they should have rights. the environment and diversity are ridiculously important, the fate of the earth is at stake. i'm not christian and have studied the science of evolution enough to know there's absolutely no way it didn't happen. the free market has shown itself to be like a football game without referees. trickle down and supply side economics have obviously failed us, resulting in all new wealth only being spread to the top 10 percent.
that's why i can't believe in the current republican ideologies. i'm not even convinced most elected republicans truly believe any of this anti-fact stuff anyway, when this weird, disproved stuff gets left out of the rhetoric is when i can actually take the republican party seriously.
Thank you.
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