Why a McCain Win May Be Bad for GOP, Good for Democrats

Real Clear Politics ^ | 13 June 2008 | Stuart Rothenberg

[shrinkermd]

Republicans and conservatives are rallying behind Sen. John McCain's White House bid, but not because they are so enamored with him or his agenda. Instead, their loyalty is based on their perception that Illinois Sen. Barack Obama as president, particularly with large Democratic majorities in both chambers of Congress, would be utterly disastrous.

Regardless of whether you agree with them about the results of a Democratic presidential victory later this year, a McCain victory might produce its own series of domino-like events that ultimately might hurt the Grand Old Party.

...I don't necessarily agree with Stewart that a McCain victory in November would lead to the "eradication" of the GOP, but it's easy to see how a McCain presidency could end up being a nightmare for Republicans.

In the worst-case scenario, a McCain victory in November could likely lead to a Republican bloodletting that would tear apart the GOP well before 2012, contribute to another good Democratic election in 2010 and hand Democrats such a strong advantage during redistricting that Republicans wouldn't be able to recover for years.

[jalisco555]

Thanks. No one knows the future. We have to play the hand we are dealt. I don't like it but it is what it is.

The amount of cutting off noses to spite faces on this site is getting frightening. I think if Obama wins in November there will be as much celebration here as on Daily Kos. Of course, once the reality hits in January the tune will change but it will be too late by then. An Obama presidency with a solidly Democratic congress will make us nostalgic for Jimmy Carter.

[Antoninus]

Right now you're defending McCain.

I'm not defending McCain. I'm not even 100% sure I'm going to vote for the guy myself--I'm waiting to see who he picks as his VP. That should tell us a lot.

But what I absolutely won't do is waste my time trying to convince othters not to vote for McCain. That energy is much better spent electing conservatives downticket.

[Sprite518]

You really believe McCain is going to put a conservative in the Supreme Court?

[jalisco555]

Bring on the Backlash!

Ain't gonna happen this time. If Obama wins the Dems will have 8 full years to do their mischief. Just my prediction but I don't think history will repeat itself. It would if Hillary was President but not with Obama.

[penowa]

It’s a lose-lose situation for conservatives and the country regardless of which of these jokers is elected. Who cares about the Republican party as long as it is a liberal left-wing party? The country will suffer serious damage no matter which one of these fools takes office in January.

[DoughtyOne]

Don't forget that there are at least three types of advocacies going on here. The first is predominant, telling us to vote for something awful because we'll get worse under an Obama presidency. There's a lot of that on every thread.  I agree.

But the second bunch of McCain people actually agree with him. They are the former Giuliani people and wideawakes who we argued and fought with last year. They are liberals who transferred their loyalty to McCain.  I agree at least in part.  The overall principle is sound, even if I might disagree to a certain extent on the details.

Another McCain voting bloc is the foreign policy conservatives, who favor the war. Many of them will give him the benefit of the doubt because he was a POW and military man.  I agree.

Without defining conservatism, we can't hope to rebuild our coalition. Let those who want to vote for him do so. McCain isn't a conservative, and isn't much of a Republican. But there are people who just vote the “R,” for whatever reason. God bless them.   I agree that folks should cast their vote as they see fit.  All I ask is that they go into this with their eyes wide open.  McCain will join with the Democrats and globalists so that many of their ideals are implemented.  Many will vote for John based on McCain(R)epublican, when in actuality they will be voting for McCain(R)uination.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Now that the two parties have finally selected their presidential candidates, it is time for a sober-- if not grim-- assessment of where we are.

Not since 1972 have we been presented with two such painfully inadequate candidates. When election day came that year, I could not bring myself to vote for either George McGovern or Richard Nixon. I stayed home.

This year, none of us has that luxury. While all sorts of gushing is going on in the media, and posturing is going on in politics, the biggest national sponsor of terrorism in the world-- Iran-- is moving step by step toward building a nuclear bomb.

The point when they get that bomb will be the point of no return. Iran's nuclear bomb will be the terrorists' nuclear bomb-- and they can make 9/11 look like child's play.

. . . we do not have the luxury of waiting for our ideal candidate or of indulging our emotions by voting for some third party candidate to show our displeasure-- at the cost of putting someone in the White House who is not up to the job.

Senator John McCain has been criticized in this column many times. But, when all is said and done . . . The choice between him and Barack Obama should be a no-brainer.

Obama And McCain (Thomas Sowell)
GOPUSA ^ | June 5, 2008 | Thomas Sowell

[penowa]

"I almost think there is only one party ruling...masking as two to keep the people divided."

Both wings of Soros et.al.?

[Liberty Valance]

I haven’t had time to read all the replies.
Did we get to invoke Godwin’s law yet?

[penowa]

"...my guess is most is a function of the illegal problem."

My dislike and distrust of McCain goes back LONG before "the illegal problem." I find "the illegal problem" excess icing on the cake, or one of his most recent traitorous activities.

[DoughtyOne]

If McCain gets elected while figuratively flipping Conservatives the bird, we’ll see how successful you are at getting Conservatives elected after that.

I’m sure you think the Republicans gain the House and Senate in 2010 under those circumstances. Well, I don’t.

You’re ushering in a situation where a lefitst will be able to get 375 votes in Congress and about 90 votes in the Senate for just about any lefist legislation he wants to pass.

[Checkers]

It is what it is...

btw, a little while ago Rush called McCain an “idiot”.

I wish I could say I thought Rush was out of line.

[Checkers]

“What would happen if a man with questionable loyalties (Obama) gets elected?”

How are Obama’s loyalties anymore questionable than McCain’s?

[DoughtyOne]

I hear ya. Same here.

It’s one thing to be an idiot and not know better. It’s another to be a fairly bright person and not understand why you shouldn’t back the idiot.

Strange days...

[penowa]

"We are currently at war..."

No. Yesterday 5 lawyers in black robes arranged our surrender.

[Checkers]

“You really believe McCain is going to put a conservative in the Supreme Court?”

I see no evidence to believe such a thing.

[gathersnomoss]

Ditto’s. Nice dream sequence, though.

[Checkers]

“If Obama wins the Dems will have 8 full years to do their mischief.”

Sounds like you believe the voters will like President Obama.
On what do you base this?

[wtc911]

Thanks....multiple zots?

[Checkers]

“My dislike and distrust of McCain goes back LONG before “the illegal problem.” I find “the illegal problem” excess icing on the cake, or one of his most recent traitorous activities.”

yep