Am I the only one who is actually happy for John McCain that he lost last night and can put this whole campaign behind him? Toward the end, it didn’t even sound like he believed what he was saying any more. Presidential campaigns have a way of taking on an ugly, cut-throat life of their own (though neither candidate should be completely absolved of their personal role in this year’s venomous election). But now that it’s all over and we enter the time for reconciliation, here at PopWatch we’d like to pay tribute to the humble, loyal, and yes, even somewhat humorous John McCain with our list of his Top 5 pop culture moments (including the clip below of his appearance on SNL last weekend, where he outlined his desperate campaign’s 11th-hour turn to the "Grandpa Strategy"). So farewell, John McCain the maverick presidential candidate. And welcome back, John McCain the maverick Senator.
No. 5: McCain on SNL‘s Weekend Update
Check out the Top 4 after the jump, and then let us know what your favorite McCain pop culture moments were.
No. 4: Jon Stewart interview on The Daily Show
No. 3: Town Hall with New Hampshire high school students (the "You Little Jerk" moment)
No. 2: The Alfred E. Smith Charity Roast
No. 1: The Late Show With David Letterman
While I was beyond happy that Obama won, I was also happy that in John McCain’s concession speech he sounded like the old McCain. The one who would always go on the Daily Show to be like “these idiots out here…” Here’s hoping that he can get back to that man and put his party’s politics behind him. I really hope that Obama finds a place for him in his administration–that would be a step in healing this divide. But I never thought I’d cry so hard durina presidential election–well tears of Joy and I did. Here’s to a brand new day!
While I was very happy with the result of last night’s election – I have to say that McCain has handled himself with poise and grace, and I’m glad that he’ll still be serving this country in the Senate. Hooray for real John McCain making a triumphant return.
You left out his “Creepy Husband” SNL skit with Amy Poehler a couple years ago.
You left out his “creepy husband” SNL skit with Amy Poehler a couple years ago.
I’m an AZ resident, and I’m happy to have McCain back in the Senate, being his “mavericky” self. Republicans have lost their way, but John never has.
if McCain sounded like he did during his consession speech last night through out the election, I may have voted for him.
Mark in nyc, I totally agree with you. It’s like the Bob Dole / Al Gore issue all over again. Such a shame we didn’t see more of that over the course of the campaign.
I really liked the SNL bit last year where he told the Democrats to take as long as they needed to choose a candidate.
mark in nyc–EXACTLY! Finally McCain said something with an ounce of integrity, dignity and intelligence. Too bad he could find that kind of graciousness and respect only in defeat. And what a sad commentary on the deplorable campaign McCain led when his constituents were booing every time he mentioned Obama. He sowed the seeds of hatred and up sprouted hateful people. Thank GOD Obama won!
Xena- um, because Obama never had any attack ads, terrible things to say, ect either. I voted FOR Obama but I think both candidates were guilty of some nastiness. And I suspect if McCain had won, Obama supporters would have booed McCain too. Here’s hoping Obama can do some stuff though he has a hard road ahead of him- change will not come easily.
I look forward to John McCain post election- perhaps he can finally be himself again. While I didn’t vote for him, I respected him before this mess of an election and I hope I can again.
xena- and what would have happened if obama lost? we were promised riots in the streets by democrats. there would have been probably just as many, or more boos at an obama concession speech. don’t say that people wouldn’t have booed on each side. because they would. it wasn’t ONE side that had hatred. it’s just that one side won, and won side lost the election. why did i receive many messages last night from democrat friends laughing and making fun of republicans. i know that if mccain had won, that wouldn’t have been the case to such the drastic level that i experienced. and I’m not saying all democrats are that way. it’s just what i experienced.
I respect both men. and hopefully the one that is now going to be president will do an admirable job.
no need to fight about things now…at least for a little while anyway. i think everybody needs a breather.
I liked McCain for a long time, and was happy when he got the nomination. I always found him to be a pretty moderate, reasonable Republican. In that regard, I agree he was a maverick. But when he got the nomination, and had to toe the party line – he wasn’t being a maverick then. He was being a parrot. It’s a shame, really. If he’d gone away from that and just been John McCain, the same old moderate he’d been for years, he might’ve done better. I think he really did himself in by pandering to the more conservative side of the party – they’d probably have voted for him anyway, just because he wasn’t Obama – and by picking Palin. The tactics she used were a little reminiscent of Cheney for me, and you could sort of see McCain starting to realize that towards the end of the campaign. He knew they’d gone too far. I just wish he’d acknowledged it at the time, it might’ve done the campaign some good.
I’m very glad to see the old McCain back. I don’t agree with him ideologically, but he’s intelligent and refreshing.
As for the crowd booing Obama’s name during McCain’s concession speech, that is standard stuff at basically 100% of the country’s concession speeches. It’s tradition, just like it’s tradition for the speaker to then shush them.
I agree with the earlier commenters who stated that it will be nice to get the old McCain back. I loved him in 2000 and voted for him in the Republican primaries then, but I couldn’t bring myself to vote for him in this election with the way he caved to the party and with the inclusion of Sarah Palin. I actually thought he did very well in the majority of his “pop culture” moments, because he acted more like his previous self (the one who did so well on The Daily Show). Good luck to him in the Senate.