Posted on 11/04/2008 11:14:27 PM PST by paolenz
McCain probably flunked out or was absent when the OODA loop theory was discussed. How else would you summarize his campaign? He made so many missteps and erroneous judgements befitting not a Senator or for that matter a fighter pilot, but a politician running for the very first time.
I fault the collapse of the McCain campaign at his feet. He can't blame no one, not even his managers. A person that cannot excite the base does not deserve to win the presidency. People were behind you but at every suggestion to attack back, but you did not respond in kind. We were not discouraged and we stood by you hoping that you would listen to your followers.
You had three brilliant opportunities to unmask Obama on your debates, but each time you presented your case to the american voters, you failed miserably. Obama even taunted you to say it in his face but what did you do? You cowered in fear!
I think looking back now to reflect where he lost the election, his biggest mistake is rooted so much of his primordial instincts and insistence to campaign with honor and dignity. What McCain seems to forget is that this is just a battle cry for politicians. McCain should very well know that policians aren't honorable people, especially when re-election comes rolling around.
Had he agreed to the first ad attack using the Jeremiah Wright video expose, he should be the one being celebrated tonight and not Osama Bin Biden.
Enough of your holier than thou attitude! This type of behavior does not win the White House. I think President Bush was right when you campaign against him in 2000. When confronted with an attack, verbal or otherwise, you cower in fear and raise the spectre by effusing dignity as an excuse not to fight back.
I don’t think anyone had a chance against Obama. He had too much going for him good or ill. This is something conservatives must wade through. Americans have become soft, stupid and dependent. It’s time for a little hardship. It will come under an Obama administration.
McCain lost and still believes that it is about him. He views himself as the leader of the Republican Party. He is not. Quite the opposite.
Well maybe America needs a refresher course on “The Misery Index” and “Stagflation” experienced during the Carter years to get it through their thick skulls.
McCain did no op research. He’s above that sort of thing. Didn’t you know that he’s too honorable, too much of a gentleman, too ‘clean’, too ethical, too bipartisan, too above-board to do anything like opposition research? That’s why the coal and energy thing wasn’t found by the campaign. We know there had to be many, many things that would have been unearthed about Obama but weren’t because of McCain himself.
I wasn’t happy when he got the nomination and I figured he’d run this campaign just about the way he did - lousy. But when he chose Palin I thought, “Geez, he actually did something right. He picked a winner. He wants to win - he’s going for it.” Then he blew it anyway by not maximizing her, not defending her and trying to play Mr. Nice Guy while she carried the weight.
McCain did well at Saddleback. Real well. I thought, “Hell yeah!” But that was the last time he excelled or even really cut the mustard. After that he just reminded me of a cross between Cpt. Queeg, Skeletor and Mickey Rooney-does-gangster as I sat there watching his facial expressions and demeanor and listening to him muff chance after chance to go for the jugular.
There was PLENTY of scary stuff available about Obama, but McCain just wouldn’t use it. “Not gonna do it”, as Bush 1 used to say.
You’re way too forgiving, imo. McCain didn’t fight the good fight. Sarah did, John didn’t.
I wonder how much Chuck Schumer’s letter to the media about Indymac Bank started this loss in motion. That started the bank runs, which brought down all manner of economic and financial grief which McCain suffered from and didn’t fight back against. He was slightly ahead until then.
I certainly agree with you here: “Americans have become soft, stupid and dependent. It’s time for a little hardship. It will come under an Obama administration.”
He also thinks turning the other cheek when getting his butt kicked is the thing to do. He’s just above it all.
If he thinks he’s the leader of the Repub Party, he’s really dreaming. As far as I’m concerned, Sarah Palin is the new leader of the Repub Party.
Come on, since Reagan the GOP/RNC has been running on fumes and weak sisters. The Bush's, nice, Episcopal, uber white bread la-de-da, can't we all get along types, that wouldn't know Hyack, Burke, free enterprise if you dropped it on them.
We're going to have to let the Democrats educate Americans. Certainly there is no Reagan, Gingrich to do it.
Like most RINO’s, McCain couldn't communicate because he didn't know what he believed in. He said he was going to fight, fight, fight. Fight what? Who?
He was like your Gramps who was drunk at the kitchen table late at night talking about the neighbor that throws his lawn clipping over the fence.
I'd like to see Palin, and even younger Republicans come up. McCain, Romney, Huck, Rudy are all too old, too played out. Boring, processed.....too Bipartisan.
Excellent analysis, McCain believes his own press. The flip side is that he also believes his press regarding his “maverick” status, against his own party.
Romney would have been seen as the one of the greedy Wall St. sharks and lost by a greater margin than McCain. Guiliani, the base would have stayed home in greater numbers than they did even with McCain. Huckabee, is the one I am thinking, in hindsight that could have destroyed Obama.
Huckabee would have been all sugary sweet to Obama and when Obama turned his back Huckabee would have stuck the knife in and twisted. Huckabee resonated with the American people. He is the only one in hindsight I can think of that could have beaten Obama.
I am not a Huckabee fan but I will admit that as far as speech making is concerned, he is by far the best among all the contenders.
Agreed.
DIVERTEACH ADDED: "Fighter pilots are not nice against their opponent, they attack and stay on the offensive. Your niceness projected weakness when we needed forcefulness."
EXCELLECT POINT!!!
You named the main factor
If McCain had the media in his back pocket he would be President today.
But Obama did and he won
Our perfidious media and schools have been brainwashing Americans for decades and it paid off big last night
Bill Ayers is a hero out in the educational establishment and a consultant to the mayor of Chicago....This is how rotten things are
Believe me, I am no big fan myself. I am just thinking he was the man that could have beaten Obama. He spoke well, would have laughed at public funding and was able to get a machine operating that would have made Obama’s pale in comparison. But no more Conservative than McCain for sure but he seemed willing to learn. :)
America's form of 'democracy' doesn't work. Where's our Francisco Franco?
I'm ready to do a Vatican II: throw the baby out with the bathwater and viva revolucion!
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