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Looks Like McCain Wins In November
I didn't think it was possible, but even though John McCain is practically a political siamese twin to the most unpopular president since Herbert Hoover, it's looking more and more like he's going to win in November regardless of who the Democrat nominee is. According to the latest AP polling, upwards of 40% of Democrats are either sitting out the general or are voting for McCain due to their dislike of their supported candidate's opponent. Simply put, a huge number of Clinton supporters won't get behind Obama, and vice versa.
Who's to blame? Doesn't matter: laying blame isn't going to salve anyone's wounded feelings. How to fix it is the Democrats' larger concern and they better find the solution P.D.Q. or else, as Jeffrey Toobin said yesterday, "take up Art History" -- if they lose this one, they become entirely irrelevant and a has-been party.
Comments (5)
I think it is too early to call it off of these polls. Reason for concern? Absolutely. McCain is too weak a candidate to pull it off unless the dems make matters significantly worse over the next 2-3 months.
April 29, 2008 9:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
With the ranks of the "Not Voting for Your Candidate" nearly doubling in one case and with McCain pulling even with both of them despite the economy going into the toilet, gas prices hitting record highs, and the war having a 70% disapproval rating, I'd say it's time to get both candidates together for a beer or latte and if some persuasion can't make a difference. Soon.
April 29, 2008 9:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Once the losing candidate* actively supports the winning candidate* for the Democratic party, we're going to see a large bump there, and I think that even after that there'll continue to be a slow increase as acceptance begins to build and bridges are mended.
*In the interest of unity, I'm not naming any names.
April 29, 2008 9:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
One of these candidates insists on taking the fight all the way to the convention, regardless of the final pledge delegate total. That gives the nominee only three months to make nice and gather the disaffected back into the fold. Plus, the nominee will have to very quickly make out a case that appeals to indies and the few Republicans that haven't adhered themselves to McCain at that late date.
As an indie myself, I gotta say that neither of these Democrat candidates is making me want to get up and run to the polls after these last few weeks. Clinton has gone bombastic and is almost more Republican than McCain in her campaign tactics. Her desire to win seems almost monomaniacal. Obama seems at a loss for a new strategy after being on his heels for a few weeks and can't seem to find the handle to take over the narrative, not something you'd expect to see in a front runner. He gives the impression of coasting, but he's losing ground and appears to be unsure of what to do. Same ol' same ol' isn't going to get and keep indies and Republicans at this point.
McCain may be weak, but he's got time on his hands and he's not idle.
April 29, 2008 9:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
I encourage you to not worry too much about the polls at this point. So much changes so quickly. Not to be ageist--but McCain is showing signs of fatigue and will walk into a lot of gaffes, that rightly or wrongly will be very problematic.
Hillary will easily defeat McCain. She takes FL, OH, PA, MI all those swing states. It is much less certain Obama could. I hope he would if he is the nominee, but his image as an aloof, elite out of touch liberal is becoming cemented and very hard to shake. I am a long-time liberal and democrat. Have never voted republican or for Nader--many of the posters on this board remind me of people that voted for Nader in 2000.
Having said that, Obama's intimate/spiritual affiliation with Wright is fine, UNLESS you want to be president. It is too divisive and not representative of the broad cross section of the country.
April 29, 2008 10:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
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