“In the end, the Democrats will leave the Iraqis high and dry, just as a Democratic controlled Congress betrayed the Vietnamese. Another Vietnam.”
We’re leaving Iraq soon regardless of who’s President, and yes, I include McCain. If he wants a second term, he will withdraw the troops just like Obama and Hillary will, despite his campaign rhetoric. Outside of the far right, the war is NOT POPULAR and the American people aren’t going to go along with it much longer.
In fact, one of the many reasons McCain will lose in November is his “100 years” rhetoric. People on this forum, especially men, have no idea how badly such statements play to women, who are the majority of the electorate. I know married, family values-type, salt of the earth women, usually reliable Republican voters, who are ready to vote for the Dem in November because they see the “endless” war as a greater threat to their children than the terrorists.
“The polling organization I pay most attention to in mid January placed McCain as either beating Clinton or lagging behind her by, maybe, 2 percentage points. Against Obama, McCain lagged as much as 5 percentage points. This far out, that makes any candidate’s chances for election a toss up. These were polls compiled by surveying likely voters.”
If that polling organization is Rasmussen, McCain was beating Hillary like a drum as recently as late December, and Giuliani was beating her six months ago. It’s not too early to look at the potential dirt on McCain, see the MSM salivating, and realize it’s going to get very ugly. McCain is unstable, temperamentally unsuited, and corrupt. There are questions surrounding his time in Vietnam, the circumstances of his divorce and his handling of the information about POA/MIAs left in Vietnam. There is the Keating 5 scandal and 25 years of Senate votes to dissect. He has admitted, in troubled economic times, that he knows little about the economy. And the base hates him. It doesn’t take a crystal ball to see that the only way he wins is if we have a serious terror attack on our soil before November 4th.
“A telling point might be the military advisors he eventually puts on display during the campaign.”
Funny how he hasn’t mentioned any military advisors. I’ve seen alist of endorsers, but most of those those guys are way past their prime, in the James Stockdale “What am I doing here?” sense. The only guy with a military background surrounding McCain these days is Lindsay Graham, God help us all.
“That ‘might’ have a glimmer of truth, only if McCain has a desire to be a one term President. To be elected, he has to mend fences, make promises, and in office he has to keep those fences in good repair and make good on those promises.”
There’s nothing in his history or temperament that shows he has it in him.
We’re leaving Iraq soon regardless of who’s President, and yes, I include McCain. If he wants a second term . . . In fact, one of the many reasons McCain will lose in November is his “100 years” rhetoric . . . I know married, family values-type, salt of the earth women, usually reliable Republican voters, who are ready to vote for the Dem in November because they see the “endless” war as a greater threat to their children than the terrorists.
Even if I were the anointed kingmaker and always made the President, we would eventually leave Iraq. In the same way we have left Japan.
McCain's "'100 years' rhetoric," wasn't so much rhetorical hyperbole as factual truth telling. People will react to it according to their world view. The more insular they are the less they'll accept it. The simple truth is we're in a seemingly "endless" war and it is a threat to the life of my only son who serves in it just as it threatens the children of the women you cite.
But, for me, in this election, women are problematic. Oh, I know the customary profiles and voting patterns. But this time out I don't yet have a comfortable sense how things will line up with them generally. So, for the time being, I simply bow to your observation and hope it is not predictive and does not hold true when it is time to choose.
It’s not too early to look at the potential dirt on McCain, see the MSM salivating, and realize it’s going to get very ugly.
No. It is not too early. Yes, it is going to get much . . . uglier.
I do have a high regard for Rasmussen and also for Larry Sabato's newsletter from the University of Virginia. I do not regard them or any other divining rod as . . . divining. I regard them as subjective guides for sensing the likely course of things.
Thus far, my sense is what I've told you, as of yet the election is too far off to count anybody out. That's what my January and your December compilations indicate: all is in flux.
It doesn’t take a crystal ball to see that the only way he wins is if we have a serious terror attack on our soil before November 4th.
I still remember doing the "duck and cover" drill in elementary school. We never had a nuclear attack, not one, but our parents only chose Presidents who meant to protect us and were ready and willing to apply military force to promote that security. This election will tell me how far we have strayed from or how close we have returned to those days.
Funny how he hasn’t mentioned any military advisors. . . . The only guy with a military background surrounding McCain these days is Lindsay Graham, God help us all.
Haven't seen anybody of standing "surrounding McCain" lately, but that's also because I haven't done much looking. The kind of display I'm waiting for doesn't require any looking.
I'm pretty sure Colin Powell, Barry McCaffrey and Andrew Krepinevich are in the background somewhere still giving advice. They were with him when he first declared his candicacy. Can't see them bailing. Last month Norman Schwarzkopf gave McCain an enthusiastic endorsement, sufficient to confirm my vote for McCain. Don't know who else. Do want to know.
There’s nothing in his history or temperament that shows he has it in him.
That's the trick pony, isn't it? No showing will be enough. Demonstration is required. And even if he could do it before actually holding office, lots of folks here on FR still wouldn't accept it.
Gonna be as interesting as it is going to be ugly.