McCain's Narrative

"What campaigns peddle is not simply character but character as defined by story — a tale of opposing forces that in its telling will memorably establish what a given election is about." This quote from an upcoming Times Magazine article does a justice to the concept of narratives, which we began discussing at the start of the semester. This article takes a closer look at McCain's narrative and how it is different from the one he wrote at the beginning of the campaign season and in previous campaigns. "The selling of a presidential “narrative” the reigning buzz word of this election cycle has taken on outsize significance in an age in which a rush of visuals and catch words can cripple public images overnight." This quote highlights the importance of having a convincing narrative in today's media-driven world. Political advisors and speech writers try to make candidates seem in tune with the majority and responsive to changing circumstances. This makes developing"true character" in a candidate difficult.
The article goes into a lot of detail about how McCain's advisors and speechwriters have created his narrative. A patriotic war-hero promoting the surge in Iraq, a country-first bipartisan, a leader (not a celebrity), a team of mavericks, a fighter, John McCain's narratives reflect all these, changing with the times. All of these different narratives are designed to make voters feel a differnt way, allowing people to hopefully connect with McCain on some level. The narrative or story is interpreted by viewers and creates an image of the candidate. McCain has had several different images since the start of his campain in an attempt to resonate with several voters.
Whether or not these different narratives are working for McCain is the question. They are all interconnected, progressing as his campaign has, working Palin's narrative into his own. I guess only time will tell.