The audacity of secret knowledge

Posted by Dan on Oct 10th, 2008
2008
Oct 10

mcbushry6 I made fun of Obama’s “Yes we can”, and now I’ll make fun of McCain’s “My friends, I know how to do it”.  Obama’s slogan is inclusive (”we”), it’s an affirmation of faith and hope, and it can be chanted by a crowd.  McCain’s slogan is unchantable and too big for a bumper sticker.  It’s personal and exclusive; he knows how, and his friends don’t.  He’s not going to tell his friends how to do it, and he’s not going to show them, he’s just claiming that he knows.

Meanwhile, McCain’s whole life story is about perseverance and maverickiness, not competence or know-how.

  • My friends, I know how to fix the economy.
  • My friends, I know how to find Osama bin Laden.
  • My friends, I know how to reform Washington.
  • My friends, I know how to fly planes without crashing them or getting shot down.
  • My friends, I have a secret plan to end the war.

OK, the last one was Richard Nixon, but you get the idea.