2008 Primaries Thread

McCain's robocalls used immigrant-bashing? That's odd, given his moderate stance on immigration.

Guys, no Democrat has even gone after McCain yet. He's totally untested in a two-party matchup. Give it time.

And honestly, I don't know who's stronger, but I really don't want to have to listen to Mitt fucking Romney for another 10 months.

I think a lot will change.

I'm curious: What do you think will change? (Obv., I'm keeping in mind that no-one can account for unanticipated events, e.g., OBL is caught, Iraq spirals into full civil-war, gas prices climb to $130/barrell, etc.)

To say nothing of the fact that a lot of the right's base will say nicer things about Obama than McCain at this point.

I really don't want to have to listen to Mitt fucking Romney for another 10 months.

I'll take Romney's Max Headroom imitation any day of the week over McCain's nails-on-the-blackboard trademark line, "My friend(s)".

But Mitt's basically the boss from Office Space.

WHOA. McCain's victory necktie = FAGGIEST EVER

What do you think will change?

Let's just say that a slew of those 'unanticipated' events you mention don't deserve that qualifier. No predictions, though, just hunches.

This is going to be a long, long year.

But Mitt's basically the boss from Office Space.

Haha. That's far more entertaining than McCain will be.

Mr. Giuliani will endorse Mr. McCain tomorrow.

I know this is going to sound naive, and I can't really justify it, but Romney seems to have run an entire campaign on the basis of unabashed lying, and it makes me want to strangle baby goats. Not to be all "McCain is so truthful," Huckabee is being at least as straightforward as McCain, but Romney just fills me with anger.

I was probably more willing to tolerate unabashed lying 8 years ago.

I wonder where Pat Robertson will wind up.

spread-eagled naked on the bed.

Is there a chance that McCain, as his lock on the nomination gets stronger, abandons his grotesque positions on torture, among other things? A huge part of my McCain problem is how badly he lies -- you can see the strain of appeasing the movement-conservative base.

Is there a chance that McCain, as his lock on the nomination gets stronger, abandons his grotesque positions on torture. . .

Did I miss a change in McCain's philosophy? Earlier in the campaign (and for the past few years), his strong opposition to torture is one of the ways he bucked the rest of the GOP. He now advocates torture?

He now advocates torture?

No

McCain Bucks White House's Attempt to Carve Exceptions to Bill Banning Torture

Uh, I'm talking about his, Graham, and John Warner's kowtowing to Bush in the fall of '06; they gave them what he wanted!

All very nice, but he yielded in 2006, which is why I can't trust the fucker again.

(xpost)

which is why you must look behind the bullshit that Limbaugh, Hewitt, and The Corner post about McCain. He may be opposed to torture, but he held his nose and gave the adminstration what it wanted.

You mean that his anti-torture bill allowed a loophole whereby Gitmo detainees can't take advantage of it in court? Again, sorry to be so ignorant, but you've hit an apparent blind spot for me.

Lest we forget.

Okay, I did forget. Point taken.

But I remember in the GOP primary debates McCain defending his opposition to torture. So it isn't as if he is campaigning now as the pro-torture GOP candidate (quite the opposite, I think).

So it is over. Finished. In November, we'll be sending out our most liberal, least trustworthy candidate vs. to take on Hillary Clinton—perhaps not more liberal than Barack Obama, but certainly far less trustworthy. And the worst part for the Right is that McCain will have won the nomination while ignoring, insulting and, as of this weekend, shamelessly lying about conservatives and conservatism

hah. Interesting. I haven't heard anything about internal Dem polling.. from where? DNC? Do they have a good pollster? When did they take the polls? Before the economy looked to really be in recession?

Recent. Can't elaborate much beyond that. Very worrisome, tho. Still, Ned's right: A lot can happen.

Daria, I hope and assume you know from what I've written here (if you remember my mostly nondescript posts at all) that I'll happily support HRC if she's the nominee. But especially against McCain, I think her nomination is a grave tactical mistake. I hope I'm wrong.

so hopefully this means we'll see a lot more Obama endorsements this week now that dems know it's mccain.

Huckabee Staying In, Giuliani Getting Out -- Advantage: McCain

One Glimmer of Hope, With Little Time Left for Romney

‘The Issue Of Economics Is Not Something I’ve Understood As Well As I Should’
http://strictlybangers.com/images/mccain.gif

slowly chomping away at America's balls

Hey c'mon Ned, Daniel, if you guys know stuff, let us in on it!

At the moment I'm too hyp-no-tized by your funny/scary moving McCain image to do much thinking about the horse-race.

any normal dude's jaw would get sore after awhile.

McCain is no normal dude, dude.

As I recall, Ned also had a feeling of "creeping geopolitical dread" in early 2001, so now I'm worried.

ned_ms_cleo.jpeg

"call me nao for a reed'n!"

I am not a goddamn prognosticator nor do I pretend to be one. All I'll say for now is that the amount of energy being vented on these primaries -- here, there, everywhere, up to and including the candidates and races themselves -- is secondary to a lot of factors beyond anyone's control which will determine this election, the two most predominant being where things go next in Iraq and how the economy plays out over the course of the year. That may sound utterly obvious, I have no idea. Take it for what it's worth. But nine months is a long LONG time.

I see your points, Ned, and my expression of worry was actually genuine. Just though a Cleo/Ned shop would be too funny to ignore.

Cleo is a fake.

So Hillary looks like the smartest guy in the room, flaunting the DNC's rules about MI and FL and getting symbolic victories, free press, and momentum, not to mention the possibility of delegates. I just thought voters were nauseous of at all costs, ends justify means shit after last 8 years. She must really know that we need her.

Last times I had creeping (geo?)political dread: November 2000 (srsly I was horrified at likely election outcome.. but was in France so the reporting on it was not focused on trivia).. runup to invasion of Iraq (has everyone in this country gone crazy?) and immediately after the third debate in 2004 (oh shit, Kerry's going to lose this election).
I feel maybe I'm comparatively lucky when the economy continues heading into the shitbin because I have a university job (layoffs = impossible, pay cuts = impossible) and don't own real estate..

You're a Prof.? The "layoffs=impossible" line = possible giveaway. Nice job, if so.

No, I work in IT!

runup to invasion of Iraq (has everyone in this country gone crazy?)

yeah me too but trust me if the black man or the woman wins the shoe will be on the other foot.

You would have to set the office on fire to get shitcanned around here. Plus, I am one of the people who actually do work..

I'm not IT but otherwise Daria and I are pretty much in the same situation.

yeah me too but trust me if the black man or the woman wins the shoe will be on the other foot.

Pardon?

the sky will be falling on a lot of people