[TwelveOfTwenty]

"Obviously the economic situation made it awfully difficult for John McCain to get a message out..."

McCain got his message out. He just didn't counter "eight years of the Bush economy" with "two years of the Pelosi economy" effectively.

The economy was the number one priority of the voters who voted for Obama. Yet even with the downturn, McCain only lost by 5% of the popular vote. If he had been a little more aggressive on this issue, he may have flipped enough of those voters to win.

[4rcane]

a worst two term president? Bill Clinton comes to mind

[Wegotsarah.com]

If he had been a little more aggressive on this issue, he may have flipped enough of those voters to win.

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

Wish elections were sort of a computer game- where you could reset- and see how McCain would have made out if he had voted against the bailout.

[allmendream]

Yes, that 5% could have been swayed if the Republicans (and more specifically McCain) had balked at the size and scope and implementation of the “bailout”.

But after the House GOP rejected a 50 page bill, the Senate made a 450 page monstrosity that bought their support (showing that our guys are for sale, and they are expensive, and the payment comes out of our taxes).

McCain was just the kind of guy that this “bipartisan” bill would attract, but if he wasn’t, or he made a calculated political move and rejected the bailout, he could have easily swayed that 2.6% he needed, or gotten more actual conservatives to the polls.