This is very interesting:
A self-described Republican asked McCain about his well-documented temper, prompting the AZ senator to quip: “How dare you ask that question? Get that microphone away from him.” But McCain said more seriously that he’s often angry about governmental failures. “I will confess to you, my friend, that I get angry,” McCain began. “I get angry when I saw a guy named Abramoff that ripped off Native Americans for millions and millions and millions of dollars, and people ended up – including him – in federal prison. I get angry when I see 233 million of your tax dollars going to an island, to a bridge to an island with 50 people on it. And that’s your dollars. “I get angry when I see corruption to the point where we have former members of Congress residing in federal prison, and you know something? The American people are angry, too, and they’re not going to take it anymore, and that’s why they want change. And they’re mad, and they’ve lost their temper.”
Without having the video to review, it sounds like McCain handled himself quite well at this public session. He seems to have the right attitude when asked about his temper — which is good, because Democrats clearly intend to provoke him as much as they can. After that, McCain uses phrases that sound similar to much of Barack Obama’s ‘bitter’ speech. Importantly, McCain is never patronizing about the attitude of American voters — unlike Obama. And while he’s nominally discussing Congressional corruption, it sounds like he’s speaking more broadly than that about the anger and disappointment many Americans feel toward Washington. Given the negative feelings among American voters about the economy, the war, and the inability of Washington to accomplish anything important, it’s critical for McCain to demonstrate that he understands their feelings. Moments like this will help.
