[bailmeout]

If you think about it in the context of the election results, this makes sense. BHO had to run as a tax cutting, gun loving, power to the people centrist to get elected. In other words, he ran as a "compassionate conservative". If he had run as the socialist he really is, he would have been routed.

To win this election, the GOP needed to cut through BHO's lies to expose who he really is. They started to do this toward the end of the election, but it was too late. Most Americans are not inquisitive enough to find the truth themselves, so they rely on the campaigns and the Pravda media get information about the candidates. When a Dem socialist tries to portray himself as a tax cutting moderate, the GOP candidate has to attack this from day one.

It also didn't help that, at least on economic issues, there wasn't much distinction between McCain and Obama during the bailout. I'm convinced that McCain would have won if he had come out against the bailout.

[frogjerk]

I'm convinced that McCain would have won if he had come out against the bailout.

I agree. He could have hammered "Obama voted for the bailout. I voted against handouts to Wall Street and Greedy Banks! Check the market, it sure worked didn't it?!?"

[frogjerk]

And Welcome to Free Republic BTW!

[fortheDeclaration]

It also didn't help that, at least on economic issues, there wasn't much distinction between McCain and Obama during the bailout. I'm convinced that McCain would have won if he had come out against the bailout.

Agreed.

Obama ran as a populist.

McCain cut his own political throat by running back to Washington to cast a meaningless vote that only supported the view that he was linked with Bush.

He could have supported the House Republicans against Bush and shown true independence and what it would be like under his administration.