The Headline

In the February 4^th issue of Time Magazine, John McCain is prominently featured on the cover story, “The Phoenix: Can John McCain Keep Rising?”.  When first analyzing this creative headline, the image of a phoenix comes to mind.  A phoenix, a legendary bird, is most commonly associated with the attribute of immortality.  McCain, a prisoner of war, a veteran in the presidential election, and an underdog for the Republican Party, is appropriately described as a courageous phoenix in this article.  Many believed that as the oldest presidential candidate in United States history, McCain would not make it very far because of defeating obstacles.  However, the visual image of the phoenix is a very effective way to communicate that McCain has not given up the fight quite yet.