I don’t think conservatives should play the “you’re a bigot” game. It’s a cheap cop-out that has been used to stifle our speech on many occasions. Obama is free to criticize small-town America and should not have to apologize for it, but he and his supporters should not be surprised, offended, or overly defensive if those same voters decide that he would not be the best candidate to represent them.

I also think that McCain is keeping his powder dry at this point. Let’s face it, much has been said/written about his temper; I think what we’re seeing is McCain behaving in a mellow fashion. It wasn’t that long ago that Elizabeth Bumiller of the NYuck Times tried to suck him into a verbal conflict on the very subject of his temperament.

Once the Dems pick their nominee I hope McCain takes the gloves off.

Obama IS right -many people react exactly as he described to difficult times.

Dave Rywall on April 14, 2008 at 6:56 PM

Really, Dave? About what? That rural Pennsylvanians embrace Christianity because the steel mill closed in 1982? What did they think about Christianity before 1982?

That they believe the 2nd Amendment? Do you think the 2nd Amendment was written in 1982, Dave? Did these people all run out and buy guns and vote for gun owner’s rights supporters…starting in 1982? Or when Clinton took office? (This was one of Barry’s more astonishing excuses, that the Clinton/Bush years had been so hard on rural Americans. Quick, find me anyone else in the U.S. that agrees that 1992-1999 were tough years.)

Dave, do you seriously believe that voters who are angry about 15 million illegal aliens marching in the streets with the flag of Mexico are driven by their own economic plight?

thuja on April 14, 2008 at 9:49 PM
I feel that if my first cousin had been more informed about McCain, immigration and the Republican alternatives, he would have voted for Rudy or Fred.

Immigration may not have been his big issue. The MSM was quite vocal about his Immigration stance, stating over and over that it was at odds with the mainstream of his party. And the echo chamber of talk radio could talk about nothing else.

Squid Shark on April 14, 2008 at 9:57 PM

I’m getting in the territory that Obama found so perilous here, and I’m not so clear that I’m smarter than Obama. Let me pretend my first cousin is my mother since my first cousin is for any significant purpose my mother’s brother since my grandmother raised both of them and they are of the same age. My mother is a Democrat and plans to vote for Hilary in the NC primary, but she would have voted against McCain in any Republican primary over immigration. I haven’t really noticed any significant ideological difference between my first cousin and my mother, but that my mother has the disadvantage of having to hear my political ranting.

I admit that my argument is pretty lame on one level, but I do think I have some insight into my first cousin’s values. From what I understand from the bloggers at Hotair, many of the more informed Republicans would have made another choice than McCain. It seams McCain doesn’t reflect the values of most Republicans.

Ok. Let me get freaking weird here. In reality, I say Go McCain! We have no other choice unless Hilary get the Dem nomination. Then still Go McCain!!

Branch Rickey on April 14, 2008 at 9:47 PM

Sociopath I fear may be a word more suited towards the MDS folks who want to take all their jacks and go home since they didnt get their way.

If I am a McCain wannabee for serving in the same service as him and wishing to continue to serve my country when my service ends, then….”quack”

thuja on April 14, 2008 at 9:49 PM

However the contention is that the Republican voter is more informed than the average Dem Voter. Many republicans chose to ignore talk radio(which has shaped republican opinion for 20 years) and vote against the grain. I know they did it in 92 as well, but Mitt Romney is not a crackpot loon like Buchannan.

The tide may just be shifting.

I feel that if my first cousin had been more informed about McCain, immigration and the Republican alternatives, he would have voted for Rudy or Fred.

Immigration may not have been his big issue. The MSM was quite vocal about his Immigration stance, stating over and over that it was at odds with the mainstream of his party. And the echo chamber of talk radio could talk about nothing else.

The MSM selected them.

thuja on April 14, 2008 at 7:30 PM

You mean the voters, right?
Because we voted for him.

Squid Shark on April 14, 2008 at 8:00 PM

I don’t want to seem paranoid about the role of MSM. How about this? Voters vote given the information available to them. If the MSM provides skewed information, the voters may vote differently than if they were mere fully informed. For instance, my first cousin voted for McCain in the SC primary, but is quite opposed to McCain on immigration. I feel that if my first cousin had been more informed about McCain, immigration and the Republican alternatives, he would have voted for Rudy or Fred.

Do I sound reasonable? If not, I’d like to know why not.

You aren’t, there are enough MDS crybabies here that we were able to get a nursery program started.

Squid Shark on April 14, 2008 at 9:34 PM

And there are also enough sociopath McCain wannabes here too….”if it quacks like a duck….”

Branch Rickey on April 14, 2008 at 9:33 PM

You aren’t, there are enough MDS crybabies here that we were able to get a nursery program started.

Dave Rywall on April 14, 2008 at 6:41 PM

Like you. Obama is not our daddy, and Hillary is not our mommy. The government is not our family. Grow up, and that’s the truth.

Entelechy on April 14, 2008 at 7:01 PM

The marxists looooove the biddy….

Roger Waters on April 14, 2008 at 7:23 PM

so glad I am not the only one here…

So I can just go break any law which gets in my way of what I want and if you disagree with me {McVain gruff here} then you are [fill in an insult to conservatives by Sen. McVain here].

Not what I was saying, just reenforcing that it is about Nativism to alot of people. You know this is how we got TX, illegal immigration, turnabout is fair play indeed.

If it quacks like a duck…

Squid Shark on April 14, 2008 at 9:21 PM

So I can just go break any law which gets in my way of what I want and if you disagree with me {McVain gruff here} then you are [fill in an insult to conservatives by Sen. McVain here].

Gotta Squid; either you agree with John McCain and cave to the liberals or else you’ll go down in his book like Squire Danaher.

jgapinoy on April 14, 2008 at 9:18 PM

If you support anything that “stinks” of environmentalism or “Bull Moosian” politics you must be a lib.

McCain strongly calls [us] Nativists instead

Some of you are…

Some of you are proud of it…

If it quacks like a duck…

..cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.”

These words are revealing on a number of levels, and expose the out-of-touch beliefs to which John McCain offers stark contrast….” – Funky Chicken

Yes, there is a stark contrast. McCain strongly calls [us] Nativists instead…

MCCAIN ‘08: HE’S NOT A DOCTRINAIRE LIBERAL!

That kind of crap helps us alot too.

No it is not mean to point that out, and he has (see my above post)

You said it not me. I said the idiots who keep using his middle name are not doing it “just because it is his middle name aint it?”.

Squid Shark on April 14, 2008 at 8:36 PM

So when Bambi pointed out his own middle name (before, as I recall, anyone else did), on the Tavis Smily show, he was trying to chase all the xenophobes into McCain’s camp?

————-

It’s not being mean to point out the fact that your opponent is a clueless leftist. Is it?

I understand McCain is letting them beat each other up. I sincerely hope he’s saving his ammo until the general election. I have my doubts. His consultant said he’d resign rather than put out negative ads about Obama. He can’t attack some of Obama’s positions because HE SHARES THEM.

Let me just say that I think McCain might win the Presidency in spite of his campaign.

MCCAIN ‘08: HE’S NOT A DOCTRINAIRE LIBERAL!

McCain: “The comments were elitist”

and he would know elitist comments since he can’t stop hanging around Splash the dog and Ted “one of the sorriest excuses for a ’senator’” Kennedy and all the other D. C. snobbish ilk…

SoCalInfidel on April 14, 2008 at 8:15 PM

What you’re telling us is a myth according to Obama.

“In America,” Obama says, “we have this strong bias toward individual action. You know, we idolize the John Wayne hero who comes in to correct things with both guns blazing. But individual actions, individual dreams, are not sufficient. We must unite in collective action, build collective institutions and organizations.”…

“The right wing talks about this but they keep appealing to that old individualistic bootstrap myth: get a job, get rich, and get out. Instead of investing in our neighborhoods, that’s what has always happened. Our goal must be to help people get a sense of building something larger.

McCain is running ahead on Rasmussens without even working that hard at it, why should he be mean?

I like McCain and respect him too. If the right does not they can always vote for Obama or Hillary. Yeah, that is the ticket. If your guy Hunter or Fred! just could not get himself nominated go vote for the other party. That’ll show em.

John_Locke on April 14, 2008 at 8:50 PM

I dont think this idiot was with us at CQ.

What is a squid shark?

Navy Laywer :)

Did we just let them all in when we opened up comment registration once Ed jumped over?

Not to blame Ed, he’s done a great job, of course!