2008 U.S. Presidential Campaign Discussion Thread-Part 10.

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McCain's whole campaign has been schizophrenic. I believe that his time was in 2000. During Bush's first term, I always felt that McCain was one of the few Republicans I could stand, and that if a Republican had to win in 2000(and make no mistake I was 100% a Gore supporter) it should have been McCain and not Bush. But during Bush's second term, McCain began pandering and moving himself towards the right, positioning himself for the 2008 run, which, although he didn't announce until 2007, he had decided on at least a year or two before that. So the story of McCain's campaign has been that whereas most presidential campaigns spend most of their time on independents and undecideds, it had to focus on two different groups - the independents AND the right wing base. So he's continually had to play this game where he's talking to the base out of one side of his mouth and to independents out of the other. He's had to work so hard and do so much just to ensure the base vote that he's lost a whole lot of independents and even more liberal non-neo-con Republicans. Ironically, McCain might just share more personal beliefs with this latter group than he does with the base that he's had to sacrifice so much to 'get'.

So now his platform and persona are convoluted and not entirely convincing to the base and almost downright unconvincing to independents. The result is that he's struggling to ensure anyone's vote because any move that would win the base over would alienate the independents and vice versa. He's in a no-win situation.
 
He's got so much pressure behind him to go this route... don't completely throw McCain under the bus just yet. Palin, I would suspect she's a true believer.
True believer in what, exactly?
 
McCain's whole campaign has been schizophrenic. I believe that his time was in 2000. During Bush's first term, I always felt that McCain was one of the few Republicans I could stand, and that if a Republican had to win in 2000(and make no mistake I was 100% a Gore supporter) it should have been McCain and not Bush. But during Bush's second term, McCain began pandering and moving himself towards the right, positioning himself for the 2008 run, which, although he didn't announce until 2007, he had decided on at least a year or two before that. So the story of McCain's campaign has been that whereas most presidential campaigns spend most of their time on independents and undecideds, it had to focus on two different groups - the independents AND the right wing base. So he's continually had to play this game where he's talking to the base out of one side of his mouth and to independents out of the other. He's had to work so hard and do so much just to ensure the base vote that he's lost a whole lot of independents and even more liberal non-neo-con Republicans. Ironically, McCain might just share more personal beliefs with this latter group than he does with the base that he's had to sacrifice so much to 'get'.

So now his platform and persona are convoluted and not entirely convincing to the base and almost downright unconvincing to independents. The result is that he's struggling to ensure anyone's vote because any move that would win the base over would alienate the independents and vice versa. He's in a no-win situation.

Excellent post :up:
 
Jeepers. Look at the odds on Paddy Power. I was thinking of betting on Obama, but not at those odds:

US Election 2008 Specials Winning Candidate (Next President)
Singles Only. Others on Request. Bets will run onto the candidates' respective parties in the event that they can no longer participate in the election.

For all the latest in US Politics visit our dedicated microsite - electionbetting.com.
Barack Obama 1 - 9
John McCain 5 - 1

http://www.paddypower.com/bet?actio...v_type_id=5142&ev_oc_grp_ids=23034&bir_index=
 

You know, looking at this video some more (I didn't watch the whole thing the first time since it didn't take much to realize what a skewed view it was presenting), I'm struck by how insulting it is to New Yorkers in general. And it fits exactly into the hypocrisy of some on the right that others have alluded to in this thread.

Every September 11th, Republicans rally around the great city of New York and it's brave citizens who came together to overcome an enormous disaster. Every other day of the year New Yorkers are big city elitists who would rather cheer terrorists than "American patriots."

It's pathetic.
 
That video is funny. Very kind of the creator to provide the written commentary. There’s the ignorant line of thinking we’ve been talking about laid out nice and clear for everyone…

“FACT: Islamic radicals would be more welcome on the Upper West Side than American patriots.”

That has got to be one of the most ridiculous things I have ever seen, and from then on it just gets funnier. I can’t believe people believe that shit.

And diamond, if what you are suggesting is that the response from New Yorkers here is anything like the McCain-Palin rallies, then I really don’t think so. There’s a difference between yelling ‘wake up’ and yelling ‘kill him’.
 
It'd be interesting to have Sting explain away what we witnessed in that video.

I found that video as discouraging and the McCain/Palin mob flick. Equally dishonest, equally deplorable. And again it was the people making the video not the "baddies" in the video that I found most dishonest and most deplorable.

Sad.
 
True believer in what, exactly?

In the quintessential American myth. The patriotic, unabashed American fantasy and the fundamentalist biblical view.

The "John Wayne" revisionist history. The "Revelations" absurdity.

I could actually articulate this full idea to the 'T' but I have no interest in insulting near half of our readers.

Let's just say, the cultural divide in our country is not near as simple as Wolf Blitzer wants you to believe.
 
The continued use of the word "intellectuals" as a pejorative term is the saddest fucking thing.....
You know where they filmed that? It's the Columbus Avenue Festival. Well-known of course for the swarm of highbrow PhD holders it attracts with its thoroughly pretentious and elitist medley of street vendors, arm-wrestling competitions and children's music and dance events. Kind of obnoxious to ram a political campaign march through it in the first place IMO.
 
You know where they filmed that? It's the Columbus Avenue Festival. Well-known of course for the swarm of highbrow PhD holders it attracts with its thoroughly pretentious and elitist medley of street vendors, arm-wrestling competitions and children's music and dance events. Kind of obnoxious to ram a political campaign march through it in the first place IMO.

Having lived the first 26 years of my life in The Bronx, I'm pretty damned positive that NYC has plenty to offer in the way of the not-so-intellectuals. :)
 
Try running an Obama campaign 'march' through the Neshoba County Fair (in MS near where I grew up, where Reagan famously kicked off his campaign) and I guarantee you you'd get much worse than boos from the people whose festivities you're interrupting. A formal campaign event with the candidate presiding is a completely different setting--show me where people are shouting "Off With His Head" "Kill Him" "Traitor" "Killer" and "Terrorist" about McCain at Obama's rallies.
 
Try running an Obama campaign 'march' through the Neshoba County Fair (in MS near where I grew up, where Reagan famously kicked off his campaign) and I guarantee you you'd get much worse than boos from the people whose festivities you're interrupting. A formal campaign event with the candidate presiding is a completely different setting--show me where people are shouting "Off With His Head" "Kill Him" "Traitor" "Killer" and "Terrorist" about McCain at Obama's rallies.

I dunno.

Suppose a group of Obama supporters had a parade going down Main Street in Cheyenne Wy during Cowboy Days, or Pioneer Days in Salt Lake City, Ut- state hoilidays held once a year in their states during the summer months.

Do you really believe that you would have the same vitriolic and obscene gestures and feedback from observers in Wy or Ut. as you did Manhattan?

Be honest now.

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I dunno.

Suppose a group of Obama supporters had a parade going down Main Street in Cheyenne Wy during Cowboy Days, or Pioneer Days in Salt Lake City, Ut- state hoilidays held once a year in their states during the summer months.

Do you really believe that you would have the same vitriolic and obscene gestures and feedback from observers in Wy or Ut. as you did Manhattan?

Be honest now.

<>

Yes, because I've seen it. We're even seeing it now at McCain rallies.

You are ignoring quite a bit if you don't realize that...
 
Actually I agree with financeguy that I think McCain isn't a racist and probably this isn't the way he wants to win.

Sorry, but McCain yesterday talked of "whipping Obama´s you know what". This clearly is a racist remark with America´s history of slavery.

So what´s next, Senator McCain? Hang him from a tree? Burning crosses?

I thought there´s no place for racism in American politics anymore. Apparently, McCain´s last chance is to win votes from the extreme right, racist people who will never accept an Afro-American Prez.
 
Sorry, but McCain yesterday talked of "whipping Obama´s you know what". This clearly is a racist remark with America´s history of slavery.

.


no it's not.

it's mccain's weak attempt of trying to paint himself as the elder statesman and o as the inexperienced statesman.

youre jumping to the race card to quickly my friend.

<>
 
no it's not.

it's mccain's weak attempt of trying to paint himself as the elder statesman and o as the inexperienced statesman.

youre jumping to the race card to quickly my friend.

<>

I agree. It's just an old man once again showing us his poor judgement in using a well known phrase. I don't think he's an outright racist.
 
Sorry, but McCain yesterday talked of "whipping Obama´s you know what". This clearly is a racist remark with America´s history of slavery.

So what´s next, Senator McCain? Hang him from a tree? Burning crosses?

C'mon now.

It was cocky old fighter pilot talk. Clearly not racism.
 
no it's not

youre jumping to the race card to quickly my friend.

Yes it is, and no I´m not jumping the race card too quick. What else should whipping an Afro-American mean, my friend? I don´t care whether he IS a racist or not, the remark itself is racist.

Diehard fans, of course, will excuse every racist remark of their leader.
 
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