1. One effect of the Obama campaign has been to strengthen the Democratic party state-by-state. That’s what’s going on now in Texas. He’s attracting new voters and energizing the existing ones. Not only will he carry Texas against Hillary, there’s serious talk that he may carry Texas in November.
2. The column by David Brooks and the article in the NYT on McCain’s choice of running mate both make clear how thin the Republican talent pool is. I would say that Romney would be much better than the Governors of MN, FL, NC, and even Haley Barbour of Mississippi. I would encourage Mac to think "outside the box," but that might lead him to pick some Democrat or Huck.
3. Fred Barnes makes the interesting point that one of McCain’s strengths is that he’s relatively immune to the characteristic Democratic ideological attack on global warming, torture, Guantanamo, guns, tax cuts for the rich, and so forth. And that’s true, although we might wonder whether people who vote with such issues in mind would vote for any Republican. But the downside, I repeat, is that he’s not particularly well suited to bring on the ideological attack on those issues where the characteristic Republican position is actually popular--judges and tax cuts for families. Mac is strong on the patriotism issue, and Obama might well be even weaker than McGovern on the "nationalism" front. This might not be the most promising year for milking the American’s love of country for Republican purposes, though. Mac needs, I repeat once more, needs to become credible AS A REPUBLICAN on the domestic issues.
Or -- perish the thought -- some horrific event takes place that refocuses America on the reality of our times. It'll have to be something much worse than Iran demonstrating nuclear capabilities, or unrest in Pakistan. It'll have to be something relatively catastrophic on our soil.
Otherwise, Obama is untouchable. This country desperately wants to turn its head from things and take a nap. Obama is singing a nice lullaby.
Even if the worm doesn't turn on the Obama Medicine Show, Barry Hussein will NOT EVER carry Texas, in my humble opinion.
How can McCain be considered "strong on the patriotism issue" when he never sees an open border he doesn't like?
Whatever patriotism he feels is centered on the U.S. military, not the historical American culture and nation, towards which he exhibits only disdain.
I don't know a single Republican here in God-forsaken Southern California who intends to bestir himself to vote for McCain in November. They say they don't care what happens any more; there is a general feeling that all is lost.
These are working- and middle-class white people. Good luck running the country without them.
I don't know a single Republican here in God-forsaken Southern California who intends to bestir himself to vote for McCain in November.
And yet nearly identical voters from neighboring Arizona keep sending him to the Senate. How is that possible?
Every Republican I know whose opinion I've heard will be voting for McCain.
I'm in NC. Can't find a single fan of McCain, though many will be holding their noses. However, many will be staying home. Also, I don't find him a credible patriot either. But the whopper in this post is this:
Every Republican I know whose opinion I've heard will be voting for McCain.
LOL! How can one remake oneself so completely, so forcefully, in a 10 months or so? I know we are all shallow, but we are not THAT shallow...