WHO Cares where, when, how, and if McCain can ‘comeback’?

By l.t. Dravis

ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL – Wednesday, October 15, 2008 - The McCain campaign is talking ‘comeback’ and I wonder, how’s the media reading that message?

Are newspaper, radio, and TV editors hoping for hope or hoping for promise?

Hope won’t create enough drama to capture the public’s attention so editors understandably hope it isn’t hope.

Promise, on the other hand, implies drama so the media will want to jump on the promise story, create lots of interest, and continue to enjoy exceedingly profitable ratings.

Barack Obama leads John McCain by fairly good margins in most polls today so the 2008 Presidential Campaign isn’t providing enough drama to attract enough listeners, readers, and viewers, ratings are at risk of dropping and the media worries it could find itself in a world of economic hurt . . . kind of like the rest of us . . . and who wants that?

Let’s go back to that golden moment in time, just about six weeks ago, when John McCain introduced Sarah Palin, the great GOP Hope, to the world and lead Barack Obama in most polls.

Who was more excited . . . the McCain campaign or the media?

Because a switch in the polls – either way – creates drama and drama creates increased ratings and increased ratings create increased advertising revenues, the media was thrilled beyond compare.

The media, especially the 24/7 cable news networks, live or die by ratings and any drama they can dig out of the 2008 Presidential Campaign is as good or better for ratings as any national tragedy (Madonna’s divorce, Nancy Reagan’s pelvic fracture, a drop on the DOW, an earthquake, a hurricane, etc.).

If this wasn’t a campaign year, what would Bill Bennett, Wolf Blitzer, Anderson Cooper, Sean Hannity, Keith Olberman, Rachel Maddow, Chris Matthews, Andrea Mitchell, Bill ‘Cussman’ O’Reilly, or Rush ‘Oxycontin’ Limbaugh be talking about today?

Janet Jackson’s bout with vertigo?

Whether or not the Phillies can put the Dodgers away in five?

Who was dropped from ‘Dancing with the stars’?

Or the economy?

The economy . . . for sure.

But is there enough economic news to fill up 24 hours a day of air time, seven days a week?

And, how willing would advertisers be to spend big bucks to have their sales pitches surrounded by doomsday news that sends a clear message to viewers: Don’t spend!

Not very . . . so, what is the media to do?

Continue to cover the boring fact that Obama leads McCain in the polls while ratings and revenues drop?

Or try to convince the public to watch and listen because there’s reason to believe McCain can ‘comeback’ to beat Barack Obama?

The answer is obvious.

So, how would the media’s ‘McCain-can-comeback’ campaign shape up?

You’d see more “Breaking News” coverage on even the slightest positive movement in McCain’s numbers.

You’d see and hear more talking heads talking more about every possible way McCain could improve his chances to beat Obama.

You’d see more columnists write about every possible angle on how the McCain campaign might ‘comeback’ to win the election.

And, you’d see and hear more promotional spots created to convince you to watch and listen to more news stories about how McCain can win.

I know what you’re thinking . . . it’s not impossible for John McCain to ‘comeback’ and win the election . . . no matter what the media does.

And you’re absolutely right.

If the economy somehow takes a positive turn, if McCain and Palin tone down the negative rhetoric and actually tell voters how their lives would be better if they vote Republican, if John McCain can convince voters that he is not ‘erratic’, or if there was some sort of national emergency that made McCain look like the better candidate to protect us, he could very well ‘comeback’ to win the election.

Nevertheless, since the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior, no matter what the circumstance may be, John McCain is not likely to demonstrate the kind of consistent leadership the country wants and so desperately needs.

So, I’m not at all convinced anything is likely to change for John McCain and his running mate until after the votes are in and they both go home.

But that won’t stop me from tuning in to every bit of media drama – real and otherwise – about McCain’s ‘comeback’.

How about you?

Copyright © 2008 by LTD Associates West, Ltd. All rights reserved.

If you have questions, comments, or concerns, Email me at LTDAssociates@msn.com (goes right to my desk) and since I personally answer every Email, I look forward to hearing from you soon.