At the end of a recent post, I made a point which I want to address in a shorter piece. I concluded PA exit polls reveal weakness of both Dem candidates thusly:
If this fall’s were an election on character and fitness to lead rather than on partisan differences, John McCain would beat either Democratic candidate in a walk. But, party politics does matter, so it could well be a close race this fall.
A March Gallup poll showed him with a 67% favorable rating, well ahead of Mrs. Clinton and five points ahead of Senator Obama–and this before “Bittergate” broke.
To counter the Arizona Senator’s high favorables, some on the left (and even a few in the MSM) repeat their mantra that election of John McCain would amount to a third term for George W. Bush whose current favorables are not even half those of his 2000 GOP rival. (Maybe it’s that their hatred of Bush is so intense they “need” to run against their bête noire.)
Given how often the presumptive GOP nominee bucked his own party–and this president, it’s absurd to even consider that his Administration would be a continuation of current policies (well, except in the broad strategies for defeating Islamofascism). John McCain has been bucking Bush almost since the outset of his Administration and stood for bedrock conservative principles by criticizing excessive federal spending and voting against the Medicare Prescription Drug Bill in 2003. Not to mention his push to change tactics in Iraq–long before “the surge.”
The real challenge for John McCain this fall is to make this race a referendum on him rather than on the current Administration, without alienating a conservative base already skeptical of him. Methinks as the fall election shapes up, voters will focus more on his qualities than his partisan affiliation.
Perhaps, he can best meet this challenge by appointing a Vice-Presidential nominee who appeals to the base without turning off moderates and other independents. My former elementary school assistant soccer coach comes to mind. As does the current governor of a southern state.
McCain has given assurances that he will not screw conservatives with his Supreme Court nominees. McCain has said that he has absorbed the resounding message that first the Mexican border is sealed and then we discuss what to do about the illegal aliens here.
Those two issues alone will earn my vote.
But my financial and grassroots support are still in full idle mode. After his ego dance over Republican ads in North Carolina and his manic devotion to curbing political speech, I doubt that I will do little more than vote.
The man seems to have a problem with a stiff middle finger when he associates with Republicans. It seems that with McCain, everything is negotiable.
Absolutely!
Liberals HATE Bush, not because he is a hate-able man, but precisely because they lost to him. Notice how much their hatred of him has increased in his second term for which he not only won the electoral college but spanked them by between 3-4 million votes (if I remember correctly).
He is a very likeable man, but they have forced themselves to hate him nonetheless because as a white, Christian, conservative from Texas of all places who eschews elitism he represents everything they oppose — and yet he beat them TWICE. His presidency has been a direct repudiation of everything they believe, so they must LOATHE him. And everything he does MUST be a failure regardless of the facts.
In fact, while his presidential approval ratings are as low as any president since Harry Truman (now considered a near-great president by the way), polls also show that the overwhelming amount of Americans like and personally approve of him as a person.
And so 2008 becomes their last chance to “defeat” Bush, even though he isn’t even eligible to run, let alone on the ballot. Hence McCain must become Bush. Which they arent just doing as a campaign tactic, but if you listen to lefties, you’ll hear them claim McCain is practically Bush’s doppleganger.
It’s all rather ridiculous, and more than a bit pathetic.
Hillary and Obama can out raise McCain any day of the week, so he has no money advantage. Republicans have more seats to defend, especially with so many retirements and senate seats up for play, so the party can’t just spend all of its money on him.
Even with Hillary’s negatives, Obama and her trading blows, McCain can only tie them. McCain is a Republican, its not Bush they need to tie him too, its reminding people the party is apart of. Republican party brand is at a low and is going to pull him down, no matter how high his favorables are.
Yes, it will be his best tactic to run from the brand and keep that Maverick title. I don’t think he will be able to wash the red from his hands, and I don’t mean blood or anything…so don’t flame me.
Darkeyed, he may lack a money advantage, but the presumptive GOP does have a character advantage over either of his potential rivals. And for the average American who would rather watch a baseball game than follow this never-ending campaign, that latter advantage is going to make a huge difference come November, enough perhaps to offset the political downside of his partisan affiliation when the incumbent president and immediate past Congress have so tarnished the Republican label.
Another interesting point at least vis à vis Mrs. Clinton. It seems most Americans have pretty much made up their minds about each candidate. They have warm feelings for John McCain, a man they trust. But, the former First Lady leaves them cold. And they just don’t believe here.
Darkeyedresolve,
You are correct in many of your observations. Democrats certainly are outraising McCain, Republicans have way more seats up for re-election than Democrats, and the Republican “brand” is at a low. You might add to that that Democrats are highly motivated because theyve been out of the White House for 8 years, and Republicans are at best melancholy.
But your conclusions arent so astute. Obama has far more money than Clinton, yet she just spanked him in PA. And Americans were furious with Republicans in 2006, but if you look at what actually happened, Democrats didnt win a landslide — they won by very slim margins. And congress is more unpopular under Democrats than it ever was under Republicans.
Americans elect individuals, moreso with the presidency than any other office, not parties. Americans elect hopeful, not cynical leaders. And America is also a center-right nation and highly distrustful of liberalism (for good reason). In that respect, not only are your two only potential nominess both far-left socialist McGovernites, but two cynical losers.
And finally, what Baker fails to note, is that while Americans are rather perturbed with Republicans and want a change, we are nonetheless a center right country, and in the end, they discover the only alternative is Democrats. Its why Democrats always have to lie and “move right” for the general election, yet they havent been able to win the presidency with a majority for 30-40 years. While on the other hand, President Bush didnt have to move anywhere or lie about anything. He stated loud and clear everything he wanted to do as president and has done exactly what he said, and won with a healthy majority. And his father and Reagan did the same.
As I said, no matter how upset Americans are with Republicans right now, the only alternative is Democrats, and that will be a very hard sell.
Obama, Cry Baby:
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/04/25/politics/fromtheroad/entry4047795.shtml
Obama “Fed Up” With Questions About His Patriotism
Posted by Maria Gavrilovic| 8
(CBS)From CBS News’ Maria Gavrilovic:
KOKOMO, IND. — Questions surrounding Barack Obama’s patriotism resurfaced today at a town hall meeting, when a voter asked him to address rumors that he does not salute the flag. Obama strongly denied the allegation, calling it a “phony issue†and a lie.
“It’s a lie. So anybody who tells you out there that I disrespect the flag, that I don’t salute the flag, that I don’t say the pledge of allegiance, that you know don’t wear flag pins, don’t listen to them,†Obama said. “Look at what I do and look at what I say and my commitment to making this a stronger country and I get pretty fed up with people questioning my patriotism.â€
Obama blamed the rumors on an incident at the Harkin Steak Fry in Iowa last summer, where he said he listened and sang along to ‘Star Spangled Banner’ but didn’t put his hand over his heart.
“I acknowledged the mistake of not having put my hand over my heart during the singing of the Star Spangled Banner,†Obama said.
“I’m gonna look at all of you at a ballgame one time to see if you always get it right.â€
Obama also tried to turn the table around on Hillary Clinton’s argument that he does not have adequate experience to be president by questioning what she has done with hers. He used health care policy as an example of what he says is Clinton’s inability to reform Washington.
“Now here’s where the difference between Senator Clinton and myself come in, because you know she’s making a similar claim, you’ve got to ask yourself why is it we haven’t gotten health care reform?,†Obama said. “I mean, all these folks who talk about how much experience they’ve got, why is it that we haven’t been able to get it done?â€
He also told the crowd that a vote for his opponents would be a vote for the “same old thing.â€
“So, Indiana you’ve got a decision to make, we can keep on doing the same old thing with the same old folks the same old ways and hope somehow that we’re gonna get a real change, or we can make a decision that we are gonna to bring about a new America, with a new politics and new leadership.â€
Well he’s gonna have to come up with one hell of a VP to distract everyone from his trashing the NC GOP, lying in New Orleans to pander to liberals, closing Club G’itmo etc.
Could they nominate a bigger DICK?