"Change is coming, change is coming," declared Senator John McCain at the Republican Convention.

With these few words Senator McCain has established a public persona of independence and political populism. But, how true are McCain’s claims of change?

McCain has worked hard to get a reputation as a maverick. He has established his image as an independent by supporting a few popular issues, while at the same time giving most of his support to his party and the president. 

According to Congressional Quarterly, last year McCain voted 90 percent of the time with his Republican colleagues in the Senate and 95 percent of the time in support of President Bush. Ultimately, his continued support for involvement in foreign wars puts him squarely in the mainstream Republican camp.

As part of his campaign promise to bring change to Washington, he attacks President Bush and Congress as well as Barack Obama. Since Bush and Congress are very unpopular, they are easy targets. That they are simply targets of opportunity in a campaign consisting of rhetoric rather than substance is demonstrated clearly by McCain's voting record. His current attacks against the GOP and the president helps separate him from an unpopular president at the same time putting down any claims that Obama might make that McCain will provide what is in essence a third Bush term. 

Republicans accept McCain’s criticism because they know his strategy is the best one to re-elect another Republican to the White House and also support incumbent Republicans. 

McCain was strategic in establishing a reputation as an independent. When he went against party politics, he chose issues that were popular with most of the public and in the media. He championed anti-tobacco legislation, campaign finance reform, global warming, and amnesty for illegal immigrants.

In the meantime, McCain stood squarely in support of corporate America. While McCain claimed to support campaign finance reform he continued to accept huge donations from companies and their lobbyists. Back in January McCain had 59 lobbyists raising money for his campaign, more than any of the other presidential candidates.

What Republicans and business know that the public doesn’t know is that John McCain is a Republican stalwart and supporter of big corporate America. The party and business have no concerns about electing McCain because they know that he will assure another eight years of Republican administration with the same policies of big government and corporate welfarism. While Senator John McCain claims that he will shake up Washington, a wink at the Republican establishment suggests that things will be business as usual.

Dr. John Fisher teaches communications and researches in the area of mass media and political decision making.

 

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