Posted on 06/09/2008 12:29:26 PM PDT by Signalman
For four months John McCain had a clear field while Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton were at each other's throats. Given the opportunity, the Arizona Senator failed to define the debate in favorable terms, spending much of the valuable primary months defending himself on charges that his campaign staff was top heavy with lobbyists.
Conversely, McCain has so far eluded the anti-Republican tidal wave that threatens to sweep away the party's candidates at every level, from county councils to the U.S. Senate. Amid the early wreckage -- GOP partisan identification in the tank, three defeats in rock-solid GOP House districts, and the National Republican Senatorial and Congressional Committees scratching for cash -- McCain stands competitive with Obama in national polls, running just 2.5 points behind.
The McCain campaign to date lends itself to contradictory assessments. The odds makers are leaning decisively in Obama's favor but McCain is not out of the running.
-snip-
Arch-conservative Bay Buchanan suggested that it may not matter what McCain does. Writing in Human Events on June 4, she declared:
In reality there is only one candidate. Barack Obama. In November he will win or he will lose. John McCain is relevant only in so far as he is not Barack Obama. The Senator from Arizona is incapable of energizing his party, brings no new people to the polls, and has a personality that is best kept under wraps.
(Excerpt) Read more at realclearpolitics.com ...
We should have nominated Fred Thompson
Maybe so, but I suspect that is like re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. The real problem is that after 30 years of promising what a great job the GOP would do if put into power, they totally blew it. The were bigger spenders, just as much, if not more, corrupt, etc. That is why the GOP has a problem. As much as I hate McCain, and would prefer Romney, I don't think that's the major issue.
I think the American people will do what needs to be done before they let Obama run this country.
Hey there GOP Insiders: You nominated a liberal. Suck eggs.
Yup. Washington “insiders” and the MSM, including Fox News, pushed McCain down our throats as the only one liberal enough to be elected.
What a bunch of idiots.
A real Conservative making a common-sense case for solving problems would be a big hit with most voters.
People are starved for good leadership.
Things aren't going to turn around without CONSERVATIVE candidates.
We’d have been in the same boat with Romney. He might have some personality, but his record would have killed him with anyone somewhat socially conservative.
And even if they make a blunder as they did when Ford handed Carter the win or Perot followers handed Clinton a win, I expect the American people will correct their mistake quickly as they did previously. In the case of Carter, they elected Reagan. In the case of Clinton, they elected a Republican House. It's still going to be a painful and expensive mistake.
We did not nominate John McCain. The PRESS did>
I think the American people will do what needs to be done before they let Obama run this country.
McCain was big mistake if the GOP was interested in winning.
I just do not get the feeling that they are. Instead we have a Dem lite as a candidate. One who is not a beloved candidate, put there by open voting states heavy on indys and Dem crossovers.
Maybe that alleged gaffe Mel Martinez made a while back was the truth. I believe he said that the GOP is doing all it can do to make sure a Demo....er, uh...Republican wins this time.
They should...
God, I so hope you're right.
That was part one of the plan. This is part two.
Part two is to run pessimistic headlines in order to make doubtful GOP voters even more convinced of the hopelessness of a McCain campaign.
-PJ
Well they should worry. Any republican running for office should worry. The press and the Dems have spen 8 years trashing Bush and it was just fine with republicans and now they have an image problem. How on earth did that happen.
Bob Dole, without the wit... or the conservatism.
No, how about: YOU Uncle Miltie nominated a liberal. YOU could not even get a conservative into one of the top three slots in the GOP primary race. So suck eggs and stop whining like some blubbering, little baby.
Good grief! I'm so sick of the whiners who won't take responsibility for what rests SOLELY on their heads.
And PS. If you don't have the enough votes to nominate a conservative, then don't expect others to install YOUR GUY by some dictatorial degree because of what YOU want.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.