News analysis: A unifying theme of “a cause greater than themselves” - the McCain NH campaign announces its participation in community-service program City Year
On Friday, June 15, Jill Hazelbaker, of the McCain New Hampshire campaign office, sent out a press release titled “McCain’s Granite State Team Joins City Year to Celebrate Service”. Its purpose was to tout the campaign’s participation in the community service program City Year. (For more about City Year, you can go to its page here.)
The text of the press release:
“U.S. Senator John McCain’s presidential campaign staff and volunteer supporters today joined 1,100 City Year members and hundreds of New Hampshire citizens, in a day of service around the state.
Senator John McCain expressed his admiration for the work of City Year volunteers. “City Year is an inspirational organization that encourages civic participation and involvement,” said Senator McCain. “They help build not only communities, but also character by giving young people an opportunity to serve a cause greater than themselves. I applaud each member’s service to a nation that has given so much to us all.”
John McCain 2008 State Director Jim Barnett added, “We view it as a great opportunity to improve our community and show our civic spirit. We are proud to stand with Senator McCain and proud to assist our friends and neighbors in New Hampshire.”
The Tower’s analysis:
One of the McCain campaign’s constant themes - one which echoes back to his 2000 campaign - is the idea of “people serving causes larger than themselves”. This theme served as a unifying force to his message. His political career in Congress was launched on the basis of his service as a naval aviator, and the theme of his heroic service while in the Navy, in the service of America, was a great foundation.
When the 2000 presidential campaign came along 18 years later, it was noted that the McCain campaign tended to attract volunteers who were disproportionately young, and from nontraditional sources for a Republican presidential campaign (i.e., Democrats, independents, and those who had never previously volunteered for a candidate of either party). McCain’s explanation for that phenomenon was that these people turned out “in order to be part of a cause greater than themselves.”
Moreover, McCain emphasized that he not only welcomed supporters from all ages - as well as all shades of political affiliation - but that he also viewed such a level of spontaneous support for his campaign, as an indicator of a healthy political system, one in which voters - especially young people - felt that their own efforts in democracy were worthwhile.
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