McCain strategist: We lost the spin war about campaign negativity
posted at 2:42 pm on October 15, 2008 by Allahpundit
Share on Facebook | printer-friendly
A complement to the boss’s piece this morning about the rage that’s not on your front page and to Tammy Bruce’s argument on Fox recently about the non-difference between anti-Hillary and anti-Palin sexism. Scarborough’s right that The One, with his monster treasury, has spent more on negative ads lately than McCain has, but that’s not really the point: There’s a difference between an ad that’s negative because it claims McCain will be bad for the economy and an ad that’s negative because it claims McCain eats babies. The problem with the coverage isn’t that it shrugs at examples of the former coming from the left, it’s that it shrugs at examples of the latter. See, e.g., John Lewis, just like Nicole Wallace says.
Update: Maybe I missed it, but I can’t recall seeing a single analytical piece along the lines of the one the AP dropped on Palin a few weeks ago for her supposed race-baiting on just why it is that so many leftists seem perfectly comfortable with Bill Ayers. Even the most reasonable Democrats on the media landscape can’t seem to muster any outrage about him, and simply accept dealing with the occasional domestic terrorist as the price of doing political business. Some baby-eaters are more equal than others.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages:
Nice, that was worth a snicker :)
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on October 15, 2008 at 2:44 PM
“We lost the spin war” because we have few friends in the media, & they have $500,000,000.
jgapinoy on October 15, 2008 at 2:46 PM
Then you should be fired… Obama is playing for keeps here… don’t whine, win…
ninjapirate on October 15, 2008 at 2:47 PM
GOP cannot win the spin war. The only ones who think we can are the consultants who take our money.
Labamigo on October 15, 2008 at 2:47 PM
The best socialist president the free-market system can buy.
hawkdriver on October 15, 2008 at 2:49 PM
MCCAIN WILL WIN.
“McCain eats babies. He’s George Wallace II. Palin is Quayle II. THe REPUBLICANS caused the collapse of the Dow, and Bush is an idiot, and Iraq was a mistake.”
……and McCain is down 3 in Gallup likelies, 4 in Zogby, 5 in Rasmussen, 7 in Gallup total??????????
I’d say the “spin war” is really a draw.
If you told me on Sep 15th all the stuff that would happen by Oct 15th, and then told me McCain was within 3, 4, or 5, I would ask you to pass the drugs.
battleoflepanto1571 on October 15, 2008 at 2:50 PM
There fixed that for ya…the humping robot version.
Mcguyver on October 15, 2008 at 2:51 PM
Nicolle is a “senior” strategist? Explain no further.
(I heard some of the Laura Ingraham show earlier this weeks and she was just rattling-off point after point after point after point after point this McCain campaign should have been SCREAMING FROM THE ROOFTOPS……..)
Marcus on October 15, 2008 at 2:52 PM
LMAO!! I suppose that falls under “Go ye forth, be fruitful and multiply, and subdue the earth”? ;)
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on October 15, 2008 at 2:53 PM
For real?
Then that explains why we are not getting our daily vitamin and multi-mineral dose of gallup-ing poll headlines.
The siege of humping robot bloggers has taken over.
Mcguyver on October 15, 2008 at 2:55 PM
I’m staring to think that Americans want to hear lies.
A) McCain is an old nut
B) Palin is a female nut.
C) Obama is out to help the middle class
It’s just nuts.
Hening on October 15, 2008 at 2:57 PM
It’s the time for lunacy. The Stars are Right. The Madness is spreading.
The only cure is November 5.
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on October 15, 2008 at 2:58 PM
That’s because Democrats are willing to sell their souls and the nation in order to chalk up a “W” in the White House column. They’d vote for Kim Jung Il or Hugo Chavez were they running as Democrats. It’s all about lust for power and why this nation is screwed come January. The guiding priniciple will be do whatever, enact whatever, curtail whatever rights interfere with Democrats gaining a permanant majority in American government.
And thanks to all you early McCain supporters that the GOP gets killed in the process because you wanted the party to be just like the Democrats instead of standing for traditional conservative principles. You are as guilty as Democrats of destroying the nation. I hate you just as much as I hate Pelosi or Reid.
highhopes on October 15, 2008 at 2:58 PM
Heart-ache: Allahpundit unable to crush spirits with ridiculous double-digit polls today
Just had to do it >_>
BKennedy on October 15, 2008 at 2:59 PM
Truer words have never been spoken. Darkness > Light!!
Grafted on October 15, 2008 at 3:00 PM
imagine how much money Obama will have by 2012. If anything laws make it easier for him to get bogus money from overseas.
jp on October 15, 2008 at 3:01 PM
In absence of an acceptable cure, the other half mentioned moving to AK if the ONE wins.
That’s my silver lining and I’m sticking to it.
Acceptable cure would be preferable though.
Marine_Bio on October 15, 2008 at 3:01 PM
TX is available as well. Just steer clear of Dallas and Austin.
Amen.
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on October 15, 2008 at 3:02 PM
A lot of you “Where’s the outrage?” types are obviously too young to remember Radical Chic and visions of Partying Panthers at Lenny Bernstein’s place.
The reason there’s no outrage is that, deep down, many on the Left, particularly if they’re over 50, consider it far out and groovy to hang with a genuine 60’s radical, as opposed to the legions of wannabees and revisionists out there…
sanguine4 on October 15, 2008 at 3:02 PM
Oh crap…give me the scarlet R.
Grafted on October 15, 2008 at 3:04 PM
Man, ain’t that the truth! I’m here in Dallas and we have been completely overrun by illegals and liberals! It sucks!
mrsmwp on October 15, 2008 at 3:06 PM
Garbage. The GOP is out of gas and out of ideas.
McCain was the only one who even had a prayer against Hill or The Savior.
If Republicans actually governed as their rhetoric indicated they’d still be in power.
Too much hand across party lines BS afforded the Dems the ability to block most substantive GOP reforms and the RINO’s bought into it.
The reforms would have prevented problems that the Democrats effectively have pinned on the GOP.
The Dems are good at political theater. Republicans suck at it.
When Foley’s replacement in the house was nailed on paying hush money to his lover why wern’t the Republicans out front and center in the House shoving the “culture of corruption” meme up the Dems assholes?
Becuase the Republicans don’t get “it”.
mylegsareswollen on October 15, 2008 at 3:06 PM
Read it and weep!!!!
http://www.gallup.com/poll/111172/Gallup-Daily-Before-Final-Debate-Obama-Leads.aspx
Registered voters, Obama 50-McCain 43
**LIKELY voters, Obama 49-McCain 46**
“freaky deaky new and improved ‘expanded’ (read: democrat weighted)” likely voters, Obama 52-McCain 44
Oh yeah, and the daily tracking is based on 3 day rolling averages….
SO…..
monday the LV lead was 7
yesterday it was 6
today it is down to 3…………
make me think its tighter than 3 considering today’s results are weighted down with the gloomy gus numbers of Mon & Tues.
BELIEVE!!!
battleoflepanto1571 on October 15, 2008 at 3:06 PM
Some words of encouragement from Mary, a Hillary Clinton supporter, on the Hillary Clinton Forum:
Vashta.Nerada on October 15, 2008 at 3:07 PM
Part of it is because of fear over loosing 2nd amendment rights, but I think Gov Palin has softened her view of AK.
I’ve been trying for years, but hit the brick wall.
I’ve thrown TX out there before, but that one is a no go. I was born in El Paso, and don’t share the same belief.
Marine_Bio on October 15, 2008 at 3:09 PM
As much as I appreciate the Hillary voters planning to vote Republican… I would not. My core beliefs are what determines what I vote for, End of Line.
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on October 15, 2008 at 3:10 PM
Okay, I have been saying that if the American people really knew everything about Obama and still wanted to vote for him I could live with that… Well, Ben Smith has a very disheartening piece at Politco…
A friend of Smith’s did a focus group laying out the facts about Obama… (Look at Politico for a little more info)
I feel like we’ve fallen down the rabbit hole. I think we lost this election when we discounted all the lies the left has been pushing about Bush and Cheney. This kind of hatered has been long long in the making.
petunia on October 15, 2008 at 3:10 PM
There’s no way the GOP can win this on their budget. The socialists have dirty campaign contributions, all the TV networks (except Fox News), all the newspapers and magazines, all of Hollywood, every college professor, etc.
With that strong a propaganda campaign, how can this empty suit Marxist lose?
stonemeister on October 15, 2008 at 3:11 PM
I love you Mary!!!!!!!!!!!!
Blake on October 15, 2008 at 3:11 PM
Mary, a Hillary Clinton supporter, on the Hillary Clinton Forum:
I dunno about that, Mary. I would vote for Hillary over Obama, and I think lots of others would too. (Ouch, that hurt—but it’s true.)
IrishEi on October 15, 2008 at 3:12 PM
Mary is correct, I have seen many of her friends down at Republican HQ, getting out the vote for McCain!! They are ACTIVELY trying to sink Obama, and all of you who don’t know what “you” can do should sign up at johnmccain.com to call independents all over the country!
Califemme on October 15, 2008 at 3:12 PM
petunia on October 15, 2008 at 3:14 PM
Welcome to HotAir (impersonate Christopher Hitchens):
Here’s your daily gallup-ing poll:
Gallup Daily: Likely Voters (Traditional)
Obama up by only 3 points.
For more info. check out:http://www.gallup.com/Home.aspx
Now can we go back to humping robots before we get screwed?
Mcguyver on October 15, 2008 at 3:14 PM
El Paso is no longer part of Texas. It is Mexico Del Norte.
HornetSting on October 15, 2008 at 3:14 PM
My heart just started pounding, and I’m not even American…
EnglishMike on October 15, 2008 at 3:15 PM
Take it to the level that Hillary supporters feel. Imagine a lying racist with questionable ties won the republican primary.
Vashta.Nerada on October 15, 2008 at 3:15 PM
Ditto here. And if that is the choice in four years… unless by some miracle everything I know about Obama is false and he does a decent job… I would so vote for a more moderate Dem to get rid of him.
petunia on October 15, 2008 at 3:15 PM
excellent link.. and good question about “would we work for a Dem if Huckabee was the nom, and if somehow Huckabee was the antiChrist”
(though in fairness, I’d vote for Harold Ford or Tim Kaine or Jon Tester over MOST R”epublicans”, because a) they’re pretty “conservative” and b) they’re not greedy liars (thank you conrad burns) )
battleoflepanto1571 on October 15, 2008 at 3:16 PM
That would have to be the extreme it went to. The only reasons I’m voting for McCain are Palin and because he IS the “more conservative” candidate. If by some freak of inexplicable fate the Democrat was somehow more conservative and less questionable than the Republican, that might be the only thing that could turn my opinion.
I’d be sick to my stomach for months though…
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on October 15, 2008 at 3:16 PM
Um, no…. you lost because Obama is playing to win and McCain refuses to play at least as hard against the left as he is ok playing against conservatism.
You are correct that the deck is stacked against you with the media etc. But seeing as how your team refuses to even fight it really doesnt matter. If you did all you could do and everything else was the same you would have a point. But it is not like that point is even new.
Your whining about it is just a cherry on top of the crap sunday
America1st on October 15, 2008 at 3:18 PM
Sorry, battleoflepanto1571 on October 15, 2008 at 3:06 PM.
I didn’t mean to repeat you. I should’ve refreshed on separate tab before submitting my comment.
My apologies to the HotAir robots…
Mcguyver on October 15, 2008 at 3:18 PM
Johnny Mac is comin for you, you Liberal freaks! Evil laugh.
marklmail on October 15, 2008 at 3:20 PM
Major Garrett and Carl Cameron are killing me right now on FOX. Talking about Dems in complete control with a super majority and Obama as president. What a nightmare.
jazzmo on October 15, 2008 at 3:20 PM
Despite losing the spin war, most voters realize that the press isn’t telling them the whole story.
McCain, his campaign, and the surrogates should be scouring the net for the best of analysis that makes McCain’s case. McCain needs to point to alternative media sources for information about Obama and Ayers; about Obama and Acorn; about Obama and Rezkon; about Obama’s “tax cut” (read “welfare”); about Obama’s lies about McCain’s health care plan; about Obama’s lies about McCain’s tax plan; about Obama’s position and lies on abortion.
The list goes on. McCain needs to go guerilla. It’s not negative to show contrast.
BuckeyeSam on October 15, 2008 at 3:21 PM
It’s not just the GOP that lost the “spin war”.This push by the MSM,hollywood,and Obama cultist to put a failed community organizer whose only accomplishment is writing 2 books about himself as leader of the US is a loss for all of America.
With the economy in need of a serious overhaul,Pakistan about to explode,and Iran on the brink of a nuclear weapon in our near future,this is no time for a puppet.All the rainbows and unicorns and hope and change drivel coming from liberals right now is not going to be able to gloss over the serious hurdles we have ahead of us.
I am sure that in 2011(if Obama wins),the democrats will still be blaming everything on Bush(since that is all they have going for them.Solutions have not been a strong point for this 9% Congress)and there will be a lot of people looking around for where all that hope and change went.
Here is some more news that the MSM thinks is secondary to letting us know that Palin may have bought a tanning bed at one time:
US, Iraq agree on draft security pact over troops
Washington, 15 October 2008 (Associated Press)
http://www.iraqupdates.com/p_articles.php/article/38018
If McCain wants to be President,he better start doing some
serious fighting starting tonight.
Baxter Greene on October 15, 2008 at 3:22 PM
I just keep telling myself that INDEPENDENTS are going to like McCain’s steady self, and the indies will see the hysterical fraud around Obama.
The debates p@#$@$ me off, because I’m NOT an independent, and therefore not the target audience, and I keep telling myself that undecideds will reward JMac for reaching to them instead of hammering on about abortion or gay marriage or something.
battleoflepanto1571 on October 15, 2008 at 3:23 PM
I believe the first crack in the annointed one’s facade was Joe the Plumber. Everyone has a “Joe the Plumber” that they throw a few back with on the weekends. He works hard, from sun up to sun down to make a living. It takes a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to work your way up to owning your own business or to expanding the business that you own now. These are the small businesses, the hard working, lunch box toting Americans that Obama is going to destroy with his socialism.
Joe the Plumber is going to be a legend. He is the man that FINALLY asked the questions of the One that the crappy media SHOULD HAVE been asking the moment this schiester won the democratic primary.
Spreading the wealth and helping those behind you is only going to get the vote of welfare rats that are going to put their hands out for yet another government handout, as they pop out more babies and get even more money.
If McCain can use Joe the Plumber tonight in his “attack” against Obama, he will wake up a lot of Americans that have had their heads up their collective A-Sierra-Sierra.
Joe the Plumber puts a face on those that will be hurt by Obama’s policies. He also made the point, later, that if Obama raises taxes on him, he will no longer be able to expand and hire employees.
New Jobs….not gonna happen with socialism.
HornetSting on October 15, 2008 at 3:25 PM
That would be nice.
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on October 15, 2008 at 3:27 PM
Palin/Joe the Plumber 2012!
EnglishMike on October 15, 2008 at 3:27 PM
I like your anaylisis of the polls.
But Rassmussen was very right in 2004 and they have been stuck at about 5 for two weeks. “Very stable” in their opinion… I actually read their site today and finally got a good explanatin where the weighting comes from. It isn’t from registered voters it is from separate polling done just on party affilation over a long period. Seemed pretty valid.
I trust Rassmussen and that Investors What-ya-ma-calledit… they claim they were most accurate in the 2004 race.
RCP said they were taking out all the polls with affiliations to the campaigns but they left all the left media polls in. And those are the big swinging polls to Obama.
But Obama is ahead. Far ahead, right now, with not much time left.
petunia on October 15, 2008 at 3:27 PM
You’re right – Joe the plumber basically pointed out an embarrasing fact to the emperor.
Vashta.Nerada on October 15, 2008 at 3:28 PM
Um…yeah. We all know this. It is what it is. I sincerely do not understand your point, Allah.
ManlyRash on October 15, 2008 at 3:31 PM
Actually, he is behind. Far enough behind that his people are starting to panic.
ManlyRash on October 15, 2008 at 3:31 PM
Not really that far… in most of the polls he’s not even outside the margin of error. Which one are you using?
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on October 15, 2008 at 3:33 PM
You might as well hope that Obama will either drool on the microphone or fart out loud. I suggest you start drinking now, because McCain will be McCain. He will not lose this debate. But he won’t win it, either, as no nuclear weapons will be deployed.
ManlyRash on October 15, 2008 at 3:34 PM
I’m sick and tired of the whining. The media HATED Richard Nixon. The media HATED Ronald Reagan. The media HATED both George Bushs. It is a disgrace to see what the Republican party has become. They are falling in-line with the feelings of the past couple of generations that believe it is always best to blame someone else for your problems.
John McCain and his handlers are the reason he is losing this election — not some parrots on MSNBC or CNN. He has failed to pound home the message voters need to hear. And don’t give me crap about advertising dollars. McCain has had ample opportunity to spread the truth about what Obama really means to this country yet he pissed it away on the experience issue. Like it or not, people believe Obama is experienced. The McCain camp just didn’t get the memo in time.
He has not lost the election but he is getting pretty close. The reason Nixon came back after claiming he wasn’t going to get kicked around anymore is because he did what was necessary. It wasn’t pretty but he did it. Reagans’s people got him elected in 1980 when he was considered all but dead the week before the election. Again, not pretty but they did what they had to do.
Bush the Elder’s handlers destroyed Dukakis and questioned everything from his patriotism to his manhood in the process and guess, what? It resonated. The media tried to tar and feather the current Bush with a DUI claim a couple days before the election and failed mainly because the Bush people made enough of the electorate take a second and third look at Al Gore and what a Gore administration would do to this country.
So, yeah, McCain still has time but this wishy-washy whining of his people and his own concerns about being labeled a racist are going to guarantee an Obama presidency — and subsequent U.S. bankruptcy.
grdred944 on October 15, 2008 at 3:35 PM
Please explain… I see nothing but continued confidence and no polling evidence that Obama is behind. But I’m having a bad day so if you’ve got good news-SPILL IT!
Respectfully yours,
petunia on October 15, 2008 at 3:37 PM
Yeah, but what about people (like me) that are registered as dems to vote in meaningful primaries, but would never vote for a dem prez and consider myself conservative? If the question is asked “what are you registered”, i’m registered a dem. Ditto that for states that are overwhelmingly JMacville but everyones a ‘conservative democrat’ because thats where the primaries are (Arkansas)
I agree there is some dem advantage, but depending on the qway the question is asked, i would appear to be an “O” voter.
Agreed.
DISagree. Again, it’s within 3, 4, or maybe 5 after an abysmal 3 weeks. nothing but bad news for the republicans, for mccain, and media love for obama…. and he’s within 3? even with the world taking shots at “idiot” palin, he’s within 3? really?
there’s a world of time to catch back up. you know there are still tens of milions of RNC $$$ just waiting for that last week ad blitz. but “far behind”? not really, the EV map is skewed because it has obama winning the big red states right now. assuming MCCain wins florida and ohio (and let’s face it, lose those, and he’s toast), if he could just pick up PA (which i think he can), it’s in the bag. Oh, and if Missouri goes for Obama, the world is ending…. it just won’t happen.
battleoflepanto1571 on October 15, 2008 at 3:37 PM
Clinton Supporters Aid Palin
By Michael Luo
October 14, 2008, 6:53 pm
Mcguyver on October 15, 2008 at 3:38 PM
Grue in the Attic on October 15, 2008 at 3:33 PM
I already stated that I most trust Rassmussen. But the state by state outlook is dismal. More than the national. Especially, Virgina.
petunia on October 15, 2008 at 3:39 PM
We need the Ohio Plumber to stand up for us!
Kevin in Washington State on October 15, 2008 at 3:40 PM
Dear Nicole Wallace:
Hey baby, it’s your job to win the spin war. If you can’t play in the big leagues, then get out.
And now we all know why McCain picked Sarah Palin: McCain eats babies.
BigD on October 15, 2008 at 3:40 PM
Anyone here old enough to remember 1996?
ALL of the polls ( there were fewer then ) NEVER changed during the 2 -3 months leading up to the election
they ALL said Clinton had a 14-point lead over Bob Dole
EVERY poll during EACH week for ten weeks or so, and I don’t recall that ‘fourteen percent’ figure ever changing
Clinton’s actual lead on Election Day; SIX points: 49 – 43 percent. exit question: what’s up with the Consistently Wrong Eight Percent?
no ‘Bradley Effect’–there was Perot Part Deux, but his numbers stayed at about eight percent, which is what he ended up with
remember that: 14 became 6………….
( exit lesson for crr6 and other idiots and trolls: if 14 can become 6, then 5 – 7 can become MINUS 1 to MINUS 3 )
Janos Hunyadi on October 15, 2008 at 3:41 PM
I cannot explain. Obama is actually behind in terms of the people who will vote for him. He will lose on November 4. I know this as surely as I know the sun will rise tomorrow morning.
ManlyRash on October 15, 2008 at 3:41 PM
Stop watching MSNBC, petunia.
HornetSting on October 15, 2008 at 3:44 PM
Thank you for your optimism… I am having a rough day maybe that is coloring my outlook. I need to get some actual work done and come back and reconsider…
And that poll on Politico spoke directly to my sort of last hope that if the truth were allowed out it would change everything. And those folks weren’t typical conservatives… but it is people like that who decide at the margins. “Am I conservative or liberal this year?” I don’t get people like that but that is who often decides.
petunia on October 15, 2008 at 3:44 PM
I wouldn’t dare watch MSNBC today … I would soon start to question all reason for life on Earth if I listened to Olby…
petunia on October 15, 2008 at 3:46 PM
“You the
mathman!!”(the humping robot version)
Mcguyver on October 15, 2008 at 3:47 PM
Who’s “likely voters” are actually more likely to vote? Are the ACORN voters answering these polls? They won’t vote. Well, unless the booths are at a Cigarette machine or Popeyes Chicken franchise.
marklmail on October 15, 2008 at 3:47 PM
Dude.
(And if I said instead my knee-jerk instant-thought response, I’d likely be banned or at least beaten to a bloody pulp, so I’ll behave >_>)
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on October 15, 2008 at 3:49 PM
Petunia, I don’t know if you listen to Rush, but this morning he was talking about the polls. They are all over the place. We know that some polls weight their questions based on the number of democrats/republicans that are registered in that state.
Acorn is now under investigation for registering tens of thousands of false voting registrations. Most of those are for the democrats.
So, Acorn is probably also affecting these polls by “stuffing the democratic side with fraudulent registrations”.
2004-exit polls said that Kerry had it. They were wrong. How many people stayed home because all was lost. We will not know before Nov 5 who is the winner, hopefully Nov 5.
HornetSting on October 15, 2008 at 3:50 PM
LMAO. Have faith. Pray hard.
HornetSting on October 15, 2008 at 3:51 PM
I am such a doomsayer today… but I listened to a little Rush yesterday and there was a lady on who worked the polling places last election. She said they inflate those registration rolls so that if the numbers don’t look good they can fill the extra ballots out… they apparently have a system… She sounded pretty knowledgable but… I only listened for a while on the way to the dentist.
petunia on October 15, 2008 at 3:51 PM
Ouch. Or a crack house.
HornetSting on October 15, 2008 at 3:52 PM
Thanks for that life-affirming message from one of our resident concerned Christian conservatives.
Keep telling yourself that the reason McCain is behind in the polls is because he is not Christian enough or conservative enough to motivate the religious right to support him. I guess you guys will be safe in your churches or bunkers or whatever, but the rest of us will have to live in a post-Obama U.S. if McCain doesn’t win so we’re planning on voting for McCain, warts and all.
I think you’re in the minority and McCain-Palin will win, but if he does lose the silver lining is that the Republican party will have 4 years to clean house of the shrill minority like you who want to turn it into the party of Christianity to the exclusion of any social moderates or non-Christians. I have yet to see how pandering to “Republicans” whose hot-button issues are creationism and gay marriage has gotten the party anywhere this year.
Y-not on October 15, 2008 at 3:53 PM
It was a joke, you know. A little off color and not my style, but very much a joke.
BigD on October 15, 2008 at 3:56 PM
As a Christian and a heavy conservative, this logic baffles me. Sure, McCain’s more of a secular sort, but to consider OBAMA a better moral option is ludicrous. And frankly I think Palin more than makes up for anything McCain might be lacking in that department.
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on October 15, 2008 at 3:57 PM
I was attempting to as well, but failed rather miserably…
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on October 15, 2008 at 3:57 PM
McCain deserves to go home if he fails to look Obama in the eyes and talk about the Great One’s pattern and practice of hanging around with people that most of us wouldn’t share a bus seat with.
MCain needs to do it in a thoughtful way and if need be, read a prepared statment of facts. Otherwise, stop pissing and moaning about the msm (because they are not going to change) and prepare to go home.
It is just that simple.
moxie_neanderthal on October 15, 2008 at 3:58 PM
Then you are relieved……………… Who wants to win this thing because our country and entire way of life is about to change, and not for the better?
Seven Percent Solution on October 15, 2008 at 4:01 PM
Jack Murtha chimes in:
So that makes it dead even and still three (3) weeks to go.
Mcguyver on October 15, 2008 at 4:05 PM
Give me a break.
Some genius in the McCain campaign decided it would be a good idea to run a misleading ad about a totally obscure bill on sex education in Illinois. It dropped like a stink bomb and the stink only got on McCain. That ad was completely out of the blue and the mieda jumped all over it.
The the same geniuses decided to try to play identity politics over the “lipstick on a pig” comment by Obama. He lured them into a trap and they walked right into it. Republicans do not know how to play that game.
Until the week those two ads dropped, this had been a superior campaign which had Obama on his heels. The media rescued him by going after McCain’s “sleazy” and untrue ads. Of course they piled on, but the McCain campaign deserved some brickbats for those ads.
rockmom on October 15, 2008 at 4:06 PM
I’m a Christian (Catholic), too, and a life-long conservative, including on most social issues, but I object to a small group of people trying to use the mantle of conservativism to legislate personal morality or promote Christianity. I would take a dozen Joe Liebermans or Rudy Giuliani’s in the party over one of these folks who cannot bring themselves to support our nominee because he doesn’t pass their litmus test on what they think is a real conservative.
I hope they form their own party.
Y-not on October 15, 2008 at 4:09 PM
John Murtha may be helping us out in PA. He called western Pennsylvania voters racist, but thinks Obama will still win the state.
Did you hear that folks in western PA? You’re racists.
jazzmo on October 15, 2008 at 4:17 PM
Y-not, I really believe this election will mean the end of the Republican Party as we have known it. McCain’s campaign was put together by a group of longtime Republican campaign professionals who saw it as the last chance to save the party from oblivion at the hands of the hardcore social cons, who will never constitute a majority in America. White I have issues with some of these folks and their views of the social cons (I consider myself pretty hardcore pro-life but not so much on things like gay marriage and climate change), they are going to be claiming vindication by this election, win or lose. I think there will be a bloodbath within the GOP over the next two years, and there should be.
Gay marriage and abortion should go back to being state issues. Conservatives do have a majority on those issues in many states, but do not on a national level. We have to get our national campaigns back to traditional economic and national security issues that the vast majoroty of voters care about and vote on.
The fact is that the Republicans won in 2002 and 2004 only by using the social issues to drive up turnout among evangelicals. But that well is dry now, and by pandering so much to that wing of the party we have turned off millions of economic conservatives and defense hawks who are socially more liberal.
rockmom on October 15, 2008 at 4:19 PM
Being called racist by a traitorous, bribe-taking smear artist is not that big a deal.
Vashta.Nerada on October 15, 2008 at 4:20 PM
Victor Davis Hanson has a great article that looks forward to tonights debate but provides a bit of a post mortum of the McCain campaign.
Hanson thoughtfully includes the following excerpt from a 2004 interview with Obama. McCain would be smart if he simply read the quote and asked Obama about his relationship.
moxie_neanderthal on October 15, 2008 at 4:26 PM
battleoflepanto,
I’m with you on PA being winnable. Palin’s stops here have energized a lot of folks. And Murtha, hemorrhoid that he is, is probably right about a valid Bradley effect in PA. It hurt Lynn Swann a couple of years ago and stuck us with another four years of Fast Eddie Rendell, the only governor who is a regular on a post-game football analysis show (that’s his greatest accomplishment evah!).
In fact, there are sufficient PUMAs in Pa. that if they take their anger out in full on the Dems, as many as FIVE congressional seats could swing from D to R (two in Northeast Pa., two in the Philly burbs, and one in the Pittsburgh burbs) if the GOP base is motivated. Even Murtha himself could have some problems, though I don’t see him losing.
either orr on October 15, 2008 at 4:46 PM
McShame’s campaign sucked during the primaries and if it weren’t for the MSM and his friends at the NYT, he wouldn’t be the nominee. He doesn’t know how to win and doesn’t have the stomach for what it takes to win. Let Palin, who does know how to campaign and win, take over the campaign show the GOP how you’re supposed to do it!
flytier on October 15, 2008 at 6:27 PM
People, don’t give up! The last winning Democratic presidential candidate to get over 50% of the vote was Jimmy Carter 32 years ago. Bill Clinton couldn’t get over 50%. Al Gore, with 8 years VP experience, senate and house experience, a good economy, and a strong family brand name barely got over 50% and still lost. What makes you think the American people are supporting over 50% an inexperienced, racist, terrorist enabling, ultra-left liberal? The polls are cooked, this is going to tighten big-time. Keep the faith, let’s go out there and literally, win one for the Gipper!
PatMac on October 15, 2008 at 8:46 PM
I finally found my favorite paperweight (packed up for a recent move to Tennessee after escaping from California)that I received at a company sales meeting. My favorite quote from a besieged WWII general that I think is appropriate for the final three weeks here:
“Hard pressed on my right, my center is yielding, impossible to maneuever – situation excellent, I am attacking”
PatMac on October 15, 2008 at 8:54 PM
Because on an ideological basis, barry, schumer, pelosi, frank, reid, feingold etc. are ideological comrades with ayers. I hope all you mccain and huckster supporters are happy. Romney would have cleaned barry’s vacuous, propaganda butt in this election. Instead you gave us a stammering idiot for a candidate and future under the steel toed boot of a fascist state.
peacenprosperity on October 16, 2008 at 6:11 AM
Comment pages: