The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

[GeckoGeek]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

At the same time, though, I think McCain has pissed away precious time by not establishing his credentials in the economic arena. What are his plans to deal with the subprime mortgage crisis? Staving off the offshore outsourcing of jobs? The runaway price of gas? I'm not hearing satisfactory answers to any of these questions from McCain.

But how to do that without creating an attack surface for the dems? Not knowing who the final ticket will be makes things harder for him. I think HRC made a mistake in trying to use experience against BHO, because JM can use the same argument against her.


JM may be trying to avoid the same mistake by keeping quiet for the moment.

But yes, at some point he's going to have to make himself known. Probably by going on topics that will work against either nominee.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

McCain doesn't have to do a thing but watch, wait and take notes on the bloodfest between Hillary and Barack. In the end if the Democrats cannot rally around a single hopeful for the General, McCain doesn't have to do much of anything but step in and take the crown.

This is what's got the Democrat Superdelegates all in a fuss, the possiblity of so much bloodletting that there won't be any unity to rally against a Republican contender. Apparently if you love Hillary, you hate Obama, so with all that hatred, how does one lick their wounds in the face of defeat and rally with the foe that beat the crap outta your man?

[oceanpacific]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

McCain's in a good position now. He'll let the Democrats do all the blood-letting. All this unity "talk" is just that ..... TALK. I foresee a significant percentage of the Obama or Clinton supporters sitting out the general, if not going over to McCain outright.

[Frankie's Market]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

But how to do that without creating an attack surface for the dems?

But if McCain doesn't give any plans on how he plans to deal with the economic downturn, that would also be a target of attack. In fact, Clinton's camp started airing commercials in Pennsylvania yesterday with the same 3 AM theme that she used right before Super Tuesday II,.... but this time attacking McCain for not having any plans to deal with the mortgage/foreclosure crisis. Now I don't know if this particular 3 AM commercial will have the same impact that it did as the earlier one, but there you go. McCain will end up getting hammered and criticized if he contines to say mum on the economy. And that is going to end up being issue #1 in this election, folks. You're only kidding yourself if you think otherwise.

I find it ironic how Obama has been criticized in some quarters for being a candidate whose support has been due to his race and his relative youth, rather than for any substance he has to offer. But at the same time, these same folks turn around and think McCain shouldn't say anything on the economic issues to avoid criticism and scrutiny of his own proposals. Instead, they hope their man will avoid saying anything of substance so as not to offend anyone and to rely on his image as a war hero in Vietnam to get votes.

[Vanguard]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

In fact, Clinton's camp started airing commercials in Pennsylvania yesterday with the same 3 AM theme that she used right before Super Tuesday II,.... but this time attacking McCain for not having any plans to deal with the mortgage/foreclosure crisis. Now I don't know if this particular 3 AM commercial will have the same impact that it did as the earlier one, but there you go.

If this keeps up, the only outgoing phone calls she'll be able to make at 3 am or any other time will be to 911 or billing.

Hillary's campaign manager was director for failed subprime lender.

And this is the aforementioned Hillary vs. McCain ad.

[Frankie's Market]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

If this keeps up, the only outgoing phone calls she'll be able to make at 3 am or any other time will be to 911 or billing.

That brought a few chuckles from the pundits. Hillary Clinton talking about providing "affordable and accessible health care" to all Americans when she can't even provide it for her own campaign staffers? Hyuk hyuk!

But an even greater concern for Clinton's depleted campaign coffer is this: Obama has swamped Clinton on advertising in Pennsylvania. Some reports claim it's by margin of 5 to 1. Don't think that spending disparity has had an impact? Better think again!

Quinnipiac University's poll of Pennsylvania voters gave Clinton a 16 point lead in mid-February. In mid-March, Clinton's lead shrank to 12 points. Two week later, it's now down to 9 points. Doesn't take a poly-sci major to figure out the trend that is taking place here, does it?

Clinton may very well hang onto to Pennsylvania by the time the primary takes place in 3 weeks. But a narrow, single-digit win for Clinton douses her campaign's claim that Hillary is more electable than Obama in the general election.

[GeckoGeek]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

the economy. And that is going to end up being issue #1 in this election, folks.

Put that in the bank.

But a stand too early might turn out to be the wrong re/action as time goes on.

I find it ironic how Obama has been criticized in some quarters for being a candidate whose support has been due to his race ...

If Hillery wins, then the Dems are racist. If Obama wins, then the Dems are sexists. They're all set for self-destruction. And they've been good at that. I think it's going to take a near miracle for them to pull it together.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

I think it's wise that McCain isn't falling into the Hillary trap by becoming defensive on his position on the economy. Her inability to pay her staff as well as her choice of campaign manager's mortgage background tells me she's as clueless as the person she's pointing fingers at.

By not falling into her trap, McCain can simply wait it out until the General and come up with a good plan that can counter everything Clinton seems be failing at right now.

Unless the Democrats can rally now, the DNC will implode before the General. Hillary and Obama need to come to some agreement because only one of them will win and the loser HAS to rally with the winner in order to win the Presidency. By all suggestive matters, I believe Hillary needs to back down with her attacks on Obama and stick to what she can do.

[Frankie's Market]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

I think it's wise that McCain isn't falling into the Hillary trap by becoming defensive on his position on the economy.

What you view as McCain not falling into the Hillary trap could, in effect, lead to him falling into the Bush trap instead, which is no less deadly for his presidential ambitions.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...inemccain.html

While John McCain works to avoid the campaign undertow of this President Bush, he's risking the political trap that snared the first one. When the economy is sliding toward recession, it is going to be the win-or-lose election issue, no matter how well versed a nominee is in matters of foreign policy and defense.

McCain is saddled with some early season confessions that he's no expert on the economy and, indeed, didn't understand it as well as he should have. He's since tried to disown those comments, unsuccessfully.

********************************

Obama and Clinton are sniping at McCain as they try to outdo each other in the marathon campaign for the Democratic nomination to oppose him on Nov. 4. History teaches that a long, harsh campaign is a liability to the ticket that finally emerges. But history teaches also that the party in power when the economy is in or near recession is likely to lose the next election.

So it was for George H.W. Bush in 1992, and the parallel is the peril for McCain. The first President Bush once said he much preferred dealing with foreign policy rather than domestic issues. So he did, and suffered politically. Bill Clinton ran on the issue that became the clich?? of his campaign - "It's the economy, stupid."

Bush foundered from the start. "I know we're in hard times," he said in his State of the Union address that year, but didn't get around to saying what he'd try to do about it until months too late.

Republicans had a lot more to boast about in foreign and defense policy then than they do now. The Soviet Union had collapsed, the Cold War was over, the Bush administration had waged and won the Persian Gulf War.

But none of that could override or even balance the impression Bush left that he wasn't tuned in to the rigors and economic worries of the voters. He tried to change that in the fall by presenting a detailed economic plan, far too late. His distance from economic concerns came to be symbolized by a response to a confusing question about the national debt asked by a woman in the audience at a televised debate in Richmond, Va. "I'm not sure I get it," Bush blurted.

McCain needs to get it.

What Walter Mears says is true. Whatever mudslinging and smears that Obama and Clinton engage in, however much they damage each other's reputations with this story about Pastor Wright or that story about snipers in Bosnia, the point is this. Once the Democratic nominee is chosen and the dust settles, McCain is going to be in bad shape if voters don't have any confidence in his economic plans (or lack of one). You guys who are saying that McCain should just sit back and not articulate himself on the economy,.... well, you're repeating the same fatal mistake that George H. Dubya Bush made in '92. Voters are anxious about issues like the recession, housing crisis, job creation, fuel prices, and health care. And they want answers now. Answers that are deferred do not inspire confidence and projects an image of a candidate who is out of touch with what voters are most concerned about. And as Mears said twice in his article, there will come a time when presenting an economic plan to the public will be too late.

But hey, why listen to anything that I say?

All right, way to go Johnny Baby! You stick to your war platform and keep waxing on about the glories of your daddy and granddaddy's military service. Never you worry about the economy. Voters don't care 'bout that sorta stuff.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

If Hillery wins, then the Dems are racist. If Obama wins, then the Dems are sexists.

So...does that mean the GOP is both racist and sexist for having a white male candidate...yet again?

only one of them will win and the loser HAS to rally with the winner in order to win the Presidency.

This will happen, just keep watching. Until then, I am pleased that neither candidate has dropped out; it's an opportunity for those states who vote late in the process to matter, for once.

[GeckoGeek]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

So...does that mean the GOP is both racist and sexist for having a white male candidate...yet again?

Since I'm a while male, does it make me racist and sexist if I vote for him?


Obama has rejected going to the VP slot on the ticket. I think most people can't picture Hillery settling for that - but ...... she'll be one heartbeat away from her goal.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

Since I'm a while male, does it make me racist and sexist if I vote for him?

In the extremist eyes of some, yeah, probably. At the same time, there are those who say you shouldn't study hula or play Hawaiian music if you are a haole - stick to your own "culture" only; so you'd just be voting along with that philosophy.

Guess you shouldn't vote at all, eh? That'll show...somebody...something!

[GeckoGeek]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

McCain may be making his move! I just saw a banner ad here on HT.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

[QUOTE=GeckoGeek;190400]Since I'm a while male, does it make me racist and sexist if I vote for him? QUOTE]

What's a "While Male"?

So for you voting for McCain makes you sexist and a racist
voting for Obama makes you confused and a sexist
voting for Clinton makes you pussy-whipped and gay

Either way it's a hopeless situation.

At this point in the campaigning, I can't see how either side will rally with the winner without looking hypocritical.

All McCain has to do is to take what's mutual between Obama and Clinton and use that as his platform. That way no matter who wins the Democratic ticket, the losing side will take McCain because of their beliefs. Any other choice would be voting soley on party lines and not issues.

The reality should be: Vote for the person not the party.

[Karen]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

Craig, LOL!

Let me add to your list...

voting for Obama makes you afraid of being called a racist.