Wow. I thought McCain just gave one of the most impressive performances I've seen on MTP yet

I've always thought that McCain would get their nomination and that he would be the toughest one to beat, and my fears were confirmed this morning.

If he gets the Republican nod, this election will be anything from easy. John McCain has his act so together, he must be on some kind of new magic medicine or something.

I missed the first 5 minutes, but he BREEZED through Russert's tough questions like no one else I've seen, and he didn't sound like a politician in answering. He's even got one of the best artificial laughs of any of the candidates out there.

Russert asked him about Rush Limbaugh's campaign on radio to keep McCain from getting their bid (I guess Limbaugh has been telling his mindless viewers that McCain would ruin the Republican Party forever), and McCain even breezed through that one with another impressive answer.

Russert's question about his allegiance with Lieberman that could hurt McCain with the right wing of his party? No problem for McCain. Instead of backing away from that asshole Lieberman, McCain embraced him and did it in a way where he appealed to the neocons AND the more moderate part of his party. Russert was clearly stumped again.

Now I understand why George Bush and Karl Rove cheated in 2000 when they swiftboated McCain our of the Primaries. If Bush had played fair and square, McCain would have easily beaten the imbecile back then in their Primaries.

Folks, let's just hope that Limbaugh keeps this guy from getting the repuke nod because that's about the only thing that's gonna stop him from becoming the Republican candidate. Whoever we nominate for the General Election is going to have their work cut out for them like nothing they've seen in the Primaries so far.

I thought it might have been Huckabee, but now I'm not so sure. The right wing fundies seem to have lost their luste on the republican side. (thankfully)

Conservatives won't put up with any McCain/Lieberman rumors.

I still think McCain's VP will be Huckabee. And that our side will underestimate them to our peril.

that hug pic needs to be plastered everywhere to demonstrate his ability to completely sell out. straight talk express indeed....just another politician, but wrapped into a much more frail (= less threatening? reminds people of their dear grandfathers?) package. Yes, I agree he is the most formidable foe to recapturing the White House...but he can be made beatable by the right strategy. And if there is anything left of our party after we eat and digest our own!

in advance?

Did Mr. Potatohead flash the little McCain button he wears under his lapel?

One of the main reasons I support Hillary is that I believe she's the only currently running candidate who can beat him. Obama would be reduced to mincemeat.

Obama is the one who would beat McInsane.

Just wondering why Obama would be the one who could beat McCain and not Hillary or Edwards. From what I've seen of McCain, one of our main problems is going to be for our people to counter his experience. Believe it or not, his experience, or the perception of it, might have a calming effect on all the nitwits in our country who believe the terrorist boogymen are hiding outside their bedroooms. It'll be that same old Republican fear tactic that works for them again. You surely don't think that Obama has more experience in foreign affairs than Hillary or Edwards, do you?

What experience does HRC have? This country stands at a brink of what can be a new age; Obama and Edwards can be emblematic of that age. Hillary's nomination will feed the rancid fires of polarization that broiled us in the 1990s and led to the Alcoholic Shitstain in the white house now. NO Hillary.

If it wasn't for the war going on, our chances would be much easier. After watching him today, I think McCain would be tough even if there WAS no war, but WITH the war, he is going to be one tough hombre.

What actually has been surprising me more and more is that he found "personality" this time. Before this year, I thought he was devoid of it.

On his own he has a certain appeal, but not next to BO or HRC.

And he said in 2000 he'd be "too old" to run in 2008.

how the fence sitters are going to view him in comparison to our candidates once the general election rolls around. Experience might not mean the world to us because we have more faith in the intelligence of our people, but McCain's perception of being so experienced could have an effect. Anyway, I'd rather see Romney against our nominee.

Russert probably gave the guy the questions two days ago.

You do realize, if McCain gets the nomination, that Rush will be his BIGGEST cheerleader?

They might not get what they want, but that's their fondest hope.

A weak repeat of trashing McCain was attempted. At the same time a low to the Bush influence came when Thompson, backed by one of the younger Bushes, discovered prematurely that he would die in office. Now McCain is old too but even after all the scandals and buttocks smooching he definitely less acceptable than Bob Dole. Almost all the real dirt is coming from Romney's campaign by hook and crook. He is their made man. Now they might regret on having done too much of a job on Huckabee. They need to balance out the competition until Romney is ascendant- if ever. Definitely Jeb is in the wings and I wouldn't be surprised or shocked to see him on the ticket if the Dems mess up and Bloomberg steps in. There may be an instinctive rebellion going on among the party faithful- hence Huck and McC. In the end the WH will try to keep total control.

Another poster in the thread thinks Romney is their inevitable choice, too. At one time I thought Romney was going to be their choice for sure, but now I'm not so sure. I hope you guys are right.

Duhh

But if that get's ya to the light, than all I can say is go with it.

lol

that McCain is the boogey man that some Dems build him up to be. He is very beatable for lots of reasons.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=4228462&mesg_id=4228462

But hey, it's all good. Have a great day.


:):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

His mother put it best when she quite bluntly (TOO bluntly for the campaign I guess, but that is one 95 year old lady who will be hard to direct) said: "Johnny has NO support from the base".

They loathe him. They really do, and they WILL stop him. McCain's political hero isn't Ronald Reagan (and when he says it is it really shows how tarnished his 'Straight Talk' is these days) his political hero is Teddy Roosevelt and it always has been. Teddy Roosevelt, for all his hawkishness in foreign affairs, would be run out of today's Republican party on a rail (ideas to protect the environment, railing against special interests and corporations - TR would have no home there today) and they would dearly like to do the same to McCain.

They just need an empty vessel, smoothe, no principals, lots of cash.....Mitt Romney in fact!

Romney is the one they will unite behind. Amazing as it seems, from the very beginning Giuliani was seen as far too moderate for them, McCain as a disloyal, unpredictable RINO at best, and at worst, some sort of Democrat in disguise (which shows how distorted their view of reality really is), Huckabee, great with God, but they complained about his 'liberal' record in Arkansas. After Fred Thompson flopped, it was always going to be Romney.

Romney wins Florida and the nomination. Then gets demolished by the Democratic nominee in November. That's how I see it turning out.

Don't worry about McCain. It seems he is hated by too many groups from too many different sides of the political spectrum. He might be a great fit for the Bull Moose Party but not today's Republican Party.

And I will dearly love to see Mittens demolished. I have rarely seen a political figure that was so barefacedly shallow and insultingly pandering to the electorate.

Interesting stuff! :thumbsup:

I vigorously disagree with all these people on DU saying that "we could nominate a statue and still beat them in 2008". That is lunacy and ignorance of the highest order. I know we'll win lots of House seats, go up to about 55 Senate seats, continue to whip their asses in the state houses, and the few governorships up this year.

BUT THE PRESIDENCY IS AN ELECTION LIKE NO OTHER. IT DOESN'T MATTER THAT THEIR PARTY IS ON THE VERGE OF IRRELEVANCE FROM THE GRASS ROOTS UP TO THE SENATE.

Because all they need is a personality who is media-savvy, can appeal to Independents and we've basically got another Repuke in the White House.

The general election is McCain's to lose, if he wins Florida on Tuesday.

about measuring up the competition.

/respect.

I got crucified the other day for talking about how McCain is superior to Clinton (our most likely nominee) on the issue of earmark abuse and pork barrel spending.

People acted as if I was "promoting" McCain.

My point is basically be for us to be very careful and demand our candidates come clean on avaricious spending especially when BILLIONS OF DOLLARS are funneled to PRIVATE CORPORATIONS. Especially when powerful people in those corporations channel hundreds of thousands of dollars to the politicians that bring the pork.

Basically, I got shouted down.

However, what doesn't jive with me is how everyone is so "Anti corporate" but turn a blind eye to how the revolving door of how pork spending and campaing dollars actually works.

Follow the money.

Pork spending HURTS US ALL and benefits the private avaricious corporations.

FWIW I don't support McCain at all. However, he is right on this issue and he does NOT make earmarks.

for full disclosure: McCain is superior to Obama on this issue too. However, Obama has stopped making earmarks for any private corporation and has an ethics reform plan on this matter. Obama is reformed. Clinton however has not to my knowlege.

If we don't, we'er screwed.

Good analysis of your point about pork barrel spending. I'm not familiar with that, so it's interesting to hear that.

BTW, I find it interesting how people love to act as if you're promoting McCain by showing healthy "respect" for the opposition. It even happened upthread here, too.

Promoting our own candidates is fine and dandy, but taking someone from the opposition for granted is always a big mistake, no matter what you're playing...sports, politics, love, or war. That can often lead to disaster.

I forget that old saying about knowing your enemy, but I think we're both on the same page.

will find a lot of interesting information.

Did you know that Clinton has earmarked 1.4 billion dollars of taxpayer money for private defense contractors in her state?
Did you know that Clinton has earmarked millions for a shopping mall put up by private developers in her state?

That's just two examples, there's a lot more.

And Obama is no saint on this issue, he has also funneled millions to private corporations in his state too.

And then in turn, these corporations provide real backing in terms of fund raising for the candidates.

It's fundamental to our problem of the "corporations" owning our government.

I can't find much on Edwards earmarks, they are there but he does not disclose them.

Obama wants to make all earmarks transparent going forward. He is at least trying to be reformed on this issue.

McCain does not make earmarks and that is supported by several sources.

Maybe that's why the elite corporate RW hates him, I don't know.

this is a must read if you care about corporate earmarks:

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-earmarks10dec10,1,2408915.story

I appreciate you being open minded to this issue.

I acknowlege Obama is not without sin on this issue.

This is a system that must be reformed to give more power to people and less to the corporations.

WE need to take back our government.

Sounds like he wants a permanent occupation, or at least a permanent imperialistic presence in Iraq.

He credited his budget cutting experience in the REAGAN admin where the deficit tripled?

He didn't really say anything about jobs going overseas, our infrastructure crumbling or the health care system that impressed me at all.

I think any dem could kick his ass.