Political Pandering: Why Do They Do It?

I’ve always had respect for John McCain’s military service and his willingness to march to his own drummer in his earlier days in Congress. But I can’t help but feel queasy when I read about him pandering to Pennsylvania voters in Newsweek:

For John McCain, memories seem to be malleable things.

Take yesterday, for example. Stumping in Pittsburgh, Penn., the Republican presidential nominee told KDKA-TV that the first thing that comes to mind when he thinks of Steel City is its football team. “The Steelers really made a huge impression on me, particularly in my early years,” he said. In fact, the impression was so huge, added McCain, that when “he was first interrogated [as a POW in Vietnam] and really had to give some information because of the pressures, physical pressures on me, I named the starting lineup, defensive line of the Pittsburgh Steelers as my squadron mates.” “Did you really?” asked the reporter. “Yes,” McCain said. “Could you do it today?” asked the reporter. “No, unfortunately,” McCain said.

In his own memoir Faith of My Fathers McCain went on record saying he gave the names of the Green Bay Packers offensive starting line — which has also been noted in the A&E special of the same name. In fact, this is something that McCain has mentioned on several occasions and yet in the face of this snafu, his campaign is saying it was a case of faulty memory. Maybe so, but it sure seems to be convenient faulty memory when he was campaigning in PA — and rather smacks of political pandering to me.