I posted something similar to this in the past but because of the media still pushing the 'economy' as the reason McCain is losing, I feel the need to argue against that again.
It’s really irritating to keep hearing so-called expert political strategists (Democratic and Republican) talk about how the economy tanking has caused John McCain to probably lose this election.
"Democrats always benefit when the economy is bad", they say. When the issue is war and terrorism, Senator John McCain was in the lead.One month ago Democratic strategist Paul Maslin, who closely tracks the electoral map, thought that perhaps Democrats would win by a couple of percentage points.
At best, he thought Obama might earn a slight majority as Democrats earned in 1976, the last time the party’s presidential nominee cracked
the 50 percent barrier.
"Now it’s a whole different world," Maslin said. "The economy is way beyond 1992. In 1980, it was the Iran hostage crisis and the economy. I’ve never seen an issue take this kind of prominence."
Gallup finds that 69 percent of Americans believe the economy is the most important issue facing the nation. The second most cited issue, the war in Iraq, is named by only 11 percent of voters.
Bill Clinton’s former pollster Doug Schoen calls this the "economic tsunami."
And it’s this tsunami that has altered the electoral map in a way that Obama himself could not.
"The Obama campaign did a lot of important foundation work to expand the Democratic map. And I give them credit for that," Maslin said. "But the real expansion of the map is coming from an outside event, namely the economy, and not the tactics of the Obama campaign.
"Obama has not changed the map," Schoen said. The map has changed because, in light of the economic turmoil, "McCain has become an almost unacceptable alternative" to President Bush.
First off, before this request came down from the Bush
administration to vote on a bailout bill – Senator Barack Obama was in the lead
nationally and in the States he needed to be leading in.
Senator John McCain has led nationally, as far as my research shows me, only
two times since the Republican convention. Obama was leading the day the
bailout was announced.
Secondly, yes the economy is bad and people think about
their wallets in times like this (which usually has voters asking for tax
breaks). Both Obama and McCain are offering tax cuts for almost everyone.
And yes, they tend to blame the Party in power for the current problems
of the nation. However, keep in mind that Democrats are in charge of Congress.
Bush is in charge of the White House. Both Parties could be blamed
for some of this economic turn.
So, exactly what is causing Senator John McCain’s poll numbers to plummet?
Why is Senator Barack Obama’s campaign leaning toward a landslide? I
have three simple reasons for you; the debates, Governor Sarah Palin and
Senator John McCain’s own actions for the past two months.
Voters remember hearing earlier this year, John McCain say that government
should not be helping people that are losing their homes because of bad
judgments. They remember hearing and seeing McCain say, not once but
several times, "The fundamentals of the economy are fine."
Voters saw how Senator McCain reacted to the bailout story. They saw that
it was Senator Obama that approached Senator McCain first, to ask about getting
together and agreeing on a few criteria for a possible bailout. They saw
how Obama tried to work behind the media’s eye. They also saw how McCain
waited almost six hours that same day before responding to Obama’s phone call,
only to go before the press (trying to gain political points) to claim he was
suspending his campaign to go back to Washington to help solve the bailout
issue.
Voters also saw and heard Senator McCain say that he wanted to delay the
first debate before the American people (to possibly help explain the bailout
bill to voters), claiming he wanted to give his undivided attention to the
bailout bill.
Voters saw and heard Senator Barack Obama point out the fact, that a
President should be able to multitask (handle more than one problem at
a time), saying the debate will go on even if it ends up being a town hall
meeting with just himself answering questions.
Voters then saw McCain reverse course and show up at the debate. – following
Obama’s lead.
Voters saw news stories of John McCain making fun of Obama using the phone
to talk to other congressional members in hopes of helping to get votes for the
bailout issue – only to see proof that McCain himself spent most of his time in
his Washington office – on the phone. They heard how he had little input
at the White House during that meeting.
Voters have heard John McCain repeat over several years that if he were
president he’d veto any bill with pork in them – only to watch him flip
flop and vote for the bailout that ended up being the final bill --
that had pork in it. McCain then flip flopped on his own vote
and said he hope the president would veto that same bill.
Voters were impressed with Governor Sarah Palin’s VP debating skills, but
the next day she came out swinging and making personal attacks against Senator
Barack Obama. She insinuated that Obama was a terrorist ("pallin’
around with a domestic terrorist") because he worked on the same board as
a reformed terrorist. Palin knew Ayers did his crimes when Obama was
eight years old. She stood on the stage allowing members in the audience
to call Obama a "terrorist" and for someone to
yell "kill him". She and McCain allowed supporters to
use Obama's middle name to scare voters into not voting for him.
She and John both ignored the problems of the economy, their campaign deciding
they would lose if the subject was the economy.
Voters have now seen that perhaps Governor Sarah Palin hasn't exactly been
truthful about her roll in Troopergate. They see how she abused her
powers as Governor.
During the past two debates, voters saw that Barack Obama, could indeed, be
a Commander-n-Chief. They saw him take on a Senator of 26 years and a
nationally known war hero and former POW – with calm, and with facts. They
saw Obama’s vision, his calm way of approaching problems and his demeanor
toward Senator McCain
Before the General campaign, they also saw how Obama came from being
virtually a no body, to beating the current Democratic Party leader, Senator Hillary
(and Bill) Clinton during the primaries.
John McCain on the other hand showed confusing behavior by saying one moment
that we shouldn’t have government involvement and on the other hand saying let
government buy up bad housing debt. Voters saw McCain being a rude man by
refusing to even acknowledge that a fellow U.S. Senator was standing on the
stage with him by his refusing to even look him in the eye during the first
debate, and in the last debate, by calling Senator Obama "that one".
They saw a man on the attack instead of a man with ideas and a vision.
If John McCain hadn’t done the things I mentioned previously, John McCain
would still be neck-n-neck with Barack Obama for President. Barack Obama
had too many things going up against him when he got into this campaign; his
name, his race, doubts about his faith, his lack of years in Washington and his
youth. John McCain could have beaten him.
The reason Senator John McCain appears to be losing this election, is
because of John McCain’s own actions and his choice for VP – not 'just
because' there is a bad economy.
They also have seen a man that has a vision and is ready to lead -
Barack Obama.
John McCain is not the man he once was, nor is he the ‘one’
for today’s problems.
