2008 Primaries Thread

he'll be very strong in a GE, where he can peel off moderate Democrats and independent voters

I seriously doubt McCain's ability to do this against either Hillary or Obama. Why would they go for McCain, what does he offer that the Democrats don't? Support for the war? lolz

And why should evangelicals or "OMG MEXICANS!"-types vote for him. He's been on the wrong side of all their issues. All he has going for him is his conservative military "cred"/foreign policy bonafides, which are laughably out of step with the majority of the country.

or do you think it will come down to the "well he's the only white guy on the ballot and I ain't votin for no lesbians or negros" factor

Obama Gameplanning Against McCain

No Shakey, I think it will come down to the "He's a former war hero, who was a POW for 5 years for G-d's sake, he's a moderate, straight-talker who bucks his party when he feels they're wrong: Just the kind of man who America needs now. A Daddy, but a more compassionate Daddy."

And if you think for a second that HRC can draw the right contrast on Iraq with McCain, you're mistaken (I think, tho I hope I'm wrong).

it'll be interesting to see how much the 'mccain is a moderate' canard holds up once the GE comes around, because it's not so much true. he's more moderate than bush but that doesn't make him Specter or something

since when is the Republican party interested in moderates

And if you think for a second that HRC can draw the right contrast on Iraq with McCain, you're mistaken

I think she will essentially lie through her teeth to draw this distinction, emphasizing that she wants to bring home the troops now/regrets her vote for the war/etc (in contrast to McCain). altho yeah psychologically for the electorate it will be do you prefer angry mommy or angry daddy

also I am increasingly thinking Hillary is fucked now and we're gonna be lookin at Obama v McCain

the shitkicker/dirty-dealer/homeschooler axis of the GOP has never liked mccain but they will get on board, it's just a matter of how quickly and enthusiastically

xp shakey i think your radar is off, HRC is in no way fucked

since when is the Republican party interested in moderates.

They're not. But they hate the notion of losing to HRC. And people like voting for winners, and McCain has that glow now.

Romney, not so much. By the way, on the Romney front, I think this summarizes his real problem with GOP voters:

The always delightful Ben Domenech of RedState has written a farewell speech he wishes Fred Thompson had given. Check out Thompson's descriptions of his rivals:

"Rudy Giuliani? Slick cheater. Mike Huckabee? Jesus freak. John McCain? Crazy. Mitt Romney? Woman."

No comment required.

GOP = The Daddy Party. And despite reservations about McCain, I'm convinced that the base will come out to vote for him against HRC. The fear with Obama is, as I said upthread, that he could send Hispanic voters to the GOP, but that assumes a lot of groupwide bias dictating voting patterns (not necessarily a faulty assumption, but a big assumption that may not be true).

He's a former war hero

This worked for Kerry.

think any Dems will "swiftboat" McCain?

This worked for Kerry.

Kerry looked French and windsurfed.

I think many here are NOT looking at how chaotically fucked the GOP is

Emotions right now won't necessarily be emotions later but the amount of screaming vitriol surfacing on various right-wing sites whenever someone says, "We have to pull together behind McCain for the good of the party" is telling -- for now. Early, early days.

Agreed. Let's hope they poison McCain's candidacy over the next week.

yeah i think that shit will be put to bed pretty quick if need be, maybe much more decisively than any clinton-obama animus. sorry to be gloomy!

Kerry protested the Vietnam War, that's why they could Swift Boat him.

That too, yes.

HRC/Carl Weathers?

NO WAIT

HRC/Cynthia Rothrock!

The fear with Obama is, as I said upthread, that he could send Hispanic voters to the GOP

no way in hell is this going to happen. GOP spent too much of the last couple years pandering to racist demogogues re: immigration, and in my latino neighborhood, the local spanish-language paper just gave the highest marks to Obama out of all the candidates (also mentioned upthread).

HRC/Carl Weathers

YES!

An example of the irritated right:

"John McCain can eat shit and die before I pull the lever for him."

And that's just the second comment.

no way in hell is this going to happen. GOP spent too much of the last couple years pandering to racist demogogues re: immigration

Not if it's McCain, Shakey. Otherwise, I agree. See my link upthread about HRC's belief in her supposed "Hispanic Firewall" against Obama, which highlights exactly the same themes the GOP will try and exploit.

If McCain is selected as the Republican party’s nominee, I will not be able to vote for him, any more than I could vote for Hillary Clinton. I will leave my vote blank at the top of the ticket, or find a third party candidate to support

That's a funny article, Ned. But I think here is where lots of GOP voters will break ranks with the blogger, "hold their noses" and vote for McCain, rather than risk HRC as President. But we'll see.

In fact, I will enjoy watching right-wingers rail against McCain over the next few days. Let them be the party in disarray for a week.

its gonna be for more than a week - there are some deep, irreconcilable differences in the GOP right now

Yeah, but if McCain thumps Romney on Super Tuesday, I'm not sure Romney can go on (he has money, but he'll have a string of damaging setbacks).

I think here is where lots of GOP voters will break ranks with the blogger, "hold their noses" and vote for McCain, rather than risk HRC as President.

Thus my comment about how this is the state of things right this second, not necessarily down the road, you see.

what will the lot of you if HRC is the nominee and not Obama? will you hold your noses and vote "for the sake of the party"?

*what will the lot of you do

no we're all gonna switch parties and vote for McCain, smarty

wouldn't surprise me

i don't know what i'll do, honestly

I voted for my dad once.

if HRC is the nominee I won't vote for her. My district will go for her overwhelmingly I'm sure, so I might not even bother voting in the GE if that's the case.

definitely anticipating the dem debate tomorrow, like unreasonably so

Florida no longer allows write-ins; if it did, I'd write "Dan's dad," "Oliver Wendell Holmes," or "Henry Wallace."

not voting is just about the dumbest thing you can do, IMO. i'm sure the Florida poll workers appreciate it though, right before they throw your ballot in the trash

(It was the '92 election; I didn't like either Bush I or Clinton so I wrote in my dad.)

hahaha

oh man, i was hoping for HRC/JMcC morphing action

maybe i should do it

Ladies and gentlemen, McCain Derangement Syndrome.

F'n Maureen Dowd, huh?

not voting is just about the dumbest thing you can do, IMO

my district is probably the most solidly Democratic district in the country, it doesn't matter who I vote for in the GE.

It doesn't matter how many times you say that Shakey, civics classes have brainwashed the masses.

not voting is just about the dumbest thing you can do

The Dems and Repubs resurrect Hitler and Stalin in 2012; what does Mr. Que do?

"hold the nose and vote fer Joze"

morbs that would be a good comparison if hillary clinton or john mccain resembled hitler or stalin in any way

your morals are so pure they might as well be invisible