In the last few years, when the subject of presidential candidates came up, I made it clear that I thought our best hope was a contest of centrists, a fight between McCain and Obama. And while I'm happy that that outcome has become an unofficial reality, I'm having second and third thoughts about John's ability to provide a fresh perspective to the Republican party and ultimately the country.
I think Gedeon explains it best in the opening notes for his well crafted One Hundred Reasons Why McCain Won't Be President of the United States.
Then he set his sights on the White House."
It's hard to see the image of McCain the Maverick start to unravel. And after reading through Ged's list it's increasingly difficult to consider punching a chad next to REP come this November.
Look, dammit, this sucks! I wanted a good, title grade fight. I wanted to see this election go all fifteen rounds but it doesn't look that we're going to get that kind of match and I don't believe we're all the better for it.
I suppose there's still time to hope. Maybe someone will craft a similar list for Obama while he tailspins away from his 5000 FT. gleaming image but somehow I don't think that's going to happen.
Join the fray by reading through and commenting at the end.
From my ignorant view, I'm still predicting that McCain is going to come extremely close, if not pull it off.
The hardcore, quiet, conservative Christian group eats up every word he says like its the second gospel. We underestimated that crowd the last 2 elections and I dare say its happening all over again.
Hopefully I'm just a stupid idiot who doesn't know what he's talking about. But its scary.
If we had the McCain of 8 years ago, things would be a lot different. He either turned into a giant wuss or is slowly going senile. That's not an insult to elderly folk either. After what Bush/Rove threw at him in prior years I can't believe any sane person would side with them. At this point, I don't mind the fight. All the chatter from folks outside the States that I've heard has been very pro-Obama.
I'm not sure a list of 100 reasons why Obama won't win is what you want (although I'm sure someone will come up with one); it still leaves you with a seriously compromised Republican candidate.
You need McCain to step up, remember who he was in 2000, and stop leaning on his POW experience because it's going to wear out on him *fast* the way he's been throwing it around lately. He needs to stop embracing the current administration and their ideas and start actively running away from the president with the second-worst popularity rating in history, and the vice president with the all-time worst (you know, the guys that kicked him in the balls in 2000).
I, too, was looking forward to a title bout between two unconventional politicos. Even though I lean the toward the other ticket, to my mind *anything* was preferable to the current administration, and I was ready to support anyone either party put up there. Unfortunately, that's no longer true for me. To me Obama represents not just change, but progress, while McCain has sacrificed his own nature (including an opposition to torture -- which he has experienced) to fall in line with his party's expectations.
That's not to say it won't be close. It will be. Nothing can be taken for granted, even Obama's popularity. I'd better send him more money.
American elections are fascinating to watch (I'm Canadian, BTW). I'm continually amazed by the right/GOP's ability to fool enough people to keep winning the White House. But any objective analysis of policy makes it clear that right wing policies are quite poor. The arguments the GOP makes in favor of its policies are just plain silly. Essentially the right has to lie in order to get support for their agenda. But it works. Take healthcare as just one example, the US has no universal healthcare. Why? Because the right has convinced enough Americans that 'socialist medicine' is a bad thing. Wow.
Correction: I think the right's term is 'socialized medicine'. Whatever, same difference, enough people buy this crap that the right keeps winning. Yeah, socialized medicine sure does suck up here in Canada, it's just terrible, I simply must get out of this country that insists on providing healthcare for me and my family .
> From my ignorant view, I'm still predicting that McCain is going to come extremely close, if not pull it off.
I'm sure you're right but I would like to see a close election due to quality of leadership and positions rather than POW vs. Black Guy 2000.
> After what Bush/Rove threw at him in prior years I can't believe any sane person would side with them.
No kidding. The entire Bush team deserves fork stabbing for what the character attacks they mounted in 2000.
> I'm continually amazed by the right/GOP's ability to fool enough people to keep winning the White House.
Christians are an easy target so I'm not too surprised.