Part 2: a hypothetical hiring scenario, starring John McCain

Imagine it.  You have a shot at your dream job.  You’ve spent decades of your life imaging what it would be like to hold that job, fantasizing about the mark you would leave.  The interview process is a veritable gauntlet.   Countless candidates will join you at the beginning, but like most jobs. . . there can be only one.

A cool, calm, collected candidate would prep earnestly for the multiple rounds of interviewing.  He would extensively research all facets of the company and understand the challenges and opportunities that sat on the front and back burners.  After hiring someone to polish the presentation of his own hard and soft skills, as well as experiences, he’d finalize his pitch.  He’d be ready to explain his vision for the position and what he brings to the table, to as many people as needed, to land the Dream.

And then there’s John McCain. He seems to be running for class bully or tantrum Tommy instead of President of the United States. Can you imagine interviewing for any job in which, pillorying the competition, or whining about him, would be more likely to yield an offer than making a great case for one’s own ability to do the job better than anyone else?  How exacerbating your short comings would give you the win?  You wouldn’t come close to making the final cut.

These latest ad attacks on Obama are the projections of an insecure candidate, unable to fine tune his pitch for a job he wants.  McCain is bitterly reminded that there once was a lot of good will worldwide towards the American people, sentiments Obama seems capable of stoking, but McCain is not. With bloggers repudiating media reports that Obama has a problem with female and Hispanic voters and with the youth vote solidly on the side of Team Obama, who’s left?  Angry, white, aging men and/or die-hard Republicans?

McCain can’t excite America’s hiring managers — the voters. Even more dangerous, he insults them.  In the past month, he has told voters that the problems with our nation are “psychological,” and his then-surrogate Gramm called America “a nation of whiners.” This rhetoric, despite predictions from analysts that our nation has not come close to rock bottom.

McCain can’t find his bearings because he can’t pass the Commander-in-Chief test.  These latest attack ads, that say nothing of McCain’s positives, reek of desperation; in job hunts, desperation is fatal.

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