I think the thesis was fiscally conservative, social moderates stayed home. They were put off by sarah because of their social views. And they were pissed off at McCain for supporting the bailout and supporting an even more aggressive bailout for homeowners.
TO them, both candidates were the same and they stayed home.
Its hilarious. Usually RINO’s are called rino’s because they are not socially conservative but fiscal conservatives. He spent so much time reassuring his socially conservative base, he failed to realize how unpopular he was with fiscal conservatives.
Evangelicals turned out for McCain (26% of electorate versus 24% in 2004 with similar level of support for McCain), but fiscal conservatives did not.
IF not for the addition of PALIN to the Ticket, I was Ready to stay home. The Republican who ran against my CongressIDIOT got I think, my vote and maybe 8 others.
If we stayed home, WE are to blame. McCain being an uninspiring candidate doesn't excuse lazy Republicans from going to the polls to vote the whole ballot.
No, Republicans cost themselves seats.
McCain is responsible for his own loss, but not down ticket races.
If they haven’t legislated in a way to inspire voters to come out and support them, then they own their own defeat.
I think we have learned that we can not be a party of the fiscally conservative but socially moderate. We need to be one or the other. Seeing that social liberalism is an import from outside our party, and has never been a part of the platform, I say they go. We may lose in two years, but a party divided can not stand.
The youth vote didn't turn out in too much greater percentage than 2004.
No way RATS picked up 6 million new voters while repubs lost 5 million.
Either Rats voted for Bush and crossed back over to Obama or Repubs crossed over to Obama.
Everything I'm seeing & hearing says the latter.
I can't wait for the "experts" final sort-it-out analysis.
He cost us seats ‘cause the guy conceded WAY too early. All the states hadn’t even voted yet, and Oregon was a state with the senate race up in the air.
IF anyone stayed home in either the primaries or general election, they have themselves to blame. They sure didn’t get out to support anyone besides McCain. If you couldn’t even elect a more conservative candidate within the party how can you expect anything better in the general election.
NO! I pulled up my bootstraps and fought for my country... not some selfish dream that wasn’t going to happen this year, half a loaf was better than no loaf at all, which is what we have now and, franky, after 2006 I have no patience for the selfish people who stayed home.
I felt that way at first. Then I looked at the other side, said damn can’t let that commie in the white house. So I stepped up to the plate, held my nose and voted for McCain.
It did actualy help a bit having palin as #2, otherwise that voting would have been tougher.
A few examples:
Maricopa County Republicans Condemn McCain for Straying from the GOP Reservation
Arizona Republican Party rejects John McCain
McCain's Republican Enemies in His Home State
Recall John McCain (an effort started on Free Republic)
I swore that I would never EVER vote for John McCain. It was one of the most difficult things I've ever done to cast a vote for him in this election. I overcame the anger caused by nearly 2 decades of John McCain's abuse of conservatives, grass-roots Republicans, and the Constitution itself to cast my vote against Obama. I'm absolutely certain that there are a great many people who were unable to overcome that and could not force themselves to cast a vote for John McCain. And THAT is why he lost.
As I said when it was certain that McCain was going to get the nomination, the Democrat candidate was elected at that moment. The GOP literally chose Obama (or Hillary if she had won the primary) when they nominated McCain. Idiots...
My first real run in with McCain was when he endorsed Clinton's marxist nominee for CIA Director, Anthony Lake. McCain went out of his way to push Lake through the approval process, wrote published op-eds in national publications, sent letters to every Senator endorsing Lake, and even went so far to be the Senator that introduced Lake to the Intelligence Committee. It just so happens that Anthony Lake is now Obama's top national security advisor. How's that for where McCain's loyalties really lie? The GOP really screwed this up and the United States of America is going to pay for it indefinitely. Way to go, GOP. They don't call you the stupid party for nothing. I wish I could get my nearly 2 decades of Republican Party activism and support back. What a complete waste of my time...
What I don’t understand about conservatives not voting because of McCain, that means they essentially voted for Obama. But that kind of stubbornness makes even liberals look smart.
i know of 12 people who stayed home...
MCCain=Dole......
I think Mccain did OKAY but I just winced in agony whenever he said "my friends" and when he said that crap about hussein being "decent".....
Thanks to you, we are now a socialist nation.
I hope y'all are f***ing happy now.