Stephen H Baum Leadership

John McCain’s otherwise gracious concession speech included a line to the effect of “I don’t know what more we could have done to have a winning campaign.” Here is food for thought for Senator McCain and the Republicans who must now make a choice between collaborating to make democracy work vs. actions less constructive:

– Place more focus on how you’d fix the economy instead of on vilification of your opponent (that is what flipped white workers in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan, many suburban whites and every taxi driver I’ve met in recent days all over the country)
– Pick a VP who could discuss real and specific solutions to the economic crisis more often than vilify the opponent
– Give hope to the next generation that you are the best choice for their aspirations (their vote mattered more than ever everywhere)
– Give hope to Hispanics, Asians, Jews and suburban whites that you are their best choice too (their vote mattered more than ever in swing states)
– Differentiate yourself from “W” in how you would choose and implement solutions to the issues of the economy, health care and national security (even if you agree with “W’s” basic beliefs.
– Earn a belief that you can be centered and calm under fire, not seething with anger
– Show the side of your character that will encourage passionate support for you but (promptly) prevent a climate in which anyone thinks it’s ok to show hate at your rallies

You might have lost a part of the intransigent “base,” but won the election. That is what my Republican moderates tell me. And it is what Barack did that gave him the win.

And lest you construe my views as unbalanced or hostile to Republicans, know this: I was leaning to McCain when the campaign started. I even voted for Bush the first term. And I have a message to the Democrats in Congress as well: if you act at the expense of the President’s centrist intent to be President of all the people (because you push for your perpetual liberal agenda or what your lobbyists want or any other narrow purpose), watch how fast you lose power.