Comment: McCain’s attention seeking fails to impress

On Friday evening, on the back of the speech that captured the imagination of the world and a meeting with the French President that was so cozy it reminded American journalists of romantic comedy, US presidential candidate Barack Obama arrived on British shores. His UK visit marked the end of his international tour, a tour that had the world watching and rival John McCain fuming. In fact, as Obama was making great advances in international relations, McCain was putting much effort into attracting and retaining attention, although similar amounts of effort were apparently not reserved for his dignity.

In a desperate attempt to grasp what little of the media attention that remained in Obama’s wake, the Republican candidate chose to show his disapproval of Obama’s speech to the 200,000 that gathered in Berlin on Thursday by reminding his opponent that you can get good Bratwurst at home (he spent his lunchtime in a German restaurant with small business owners in Columbus, Ohio). Oh, no, McCain. I’m sorry, but I don’t think Obama was there for the sausage. Not only that, but he was petty enough to run anti-Obama advertisements in America’s Berlin namesakes: Berlin, New Hampshire; Berlin, Wisconsin; and Berlin, Pennsylvania.

Is McCain really attempting to employ the techniques of a frustrated, attention-seeking pre-adolescent in his bid to win the race for the most powerful position in world politics? And should we not expect more from someone asking to be placed on not only a national, but an international stage? Although, as President Sarkozy reminded us, we must leave the outcome to those with whom the decision rests—the American people—it is undeniable that we have a vested interest here. We are politically and economically entwined with the States, never more so than now. And, like the rest of the world, the battle to become America’s Next Top Mogul has held us captivated like only great history in the making can. Despite being accused of taking a greater interest this week in foreigners (that’s us, folks) than Americans (AKA the voters), Obama has portrayed himself as a potential world leader who is willing to see beyond the boundaries of his own nation and into the horizons of an increasingly global village. Certain Americans should perhaps be taking note. Instead, McCain has spent the past week attacking his opponent unabashedly. Rather than focusing on his own policies, the important ones ‘that are challenging America today’, as he has claimed he was doing, he seemed to spend more time knocking Obama’s trip in blatant frustration and a touch of jealousy. But alas, it is only understandable, I suppose.

After all, not only was McCain left to face what, from his perspective, must be the insufferable popularity of the Democratic candidate, but even Mother Nature seemed to be against him. His own dramatic answer to Obama’s travels, a stop on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, was cancelled, courtesy of Hurricane Dolly. That was preceded by an oil spill through the lower parts of the Mississippi River, one of the great American geographical symbols, which sent a hollow sound running through his message that offshore drilling is both welcome and safe.

So it seems like the only McCains that were smiling this week were a certain form of potato product. And they were the only McCains worth buying into, too.