Heil, Obama!
Posted on 02/23/2008 4:35:46 AM PST by Kaslin
The presidential race is sure looking like it will be Democratic Sen. Barack Obama versus Republican Sen. John McCain. Team Obama is no doubt overjoyed, having already run with the "yesterday versus the future" rhetoric that is typical for a fight between a charismatic 46-year-old and a 71-year-old Vietnam War veteran. But Team McCain, despite its outreach problems even among the GOP's base, needn't despair. Obama, a senator in only his third year, can be beaten. If only McCain would try.
Just days after Chris Matthews reported experiencing a thrill up his leg when Obama spoke, the "Hardball" host lambasted a Texas legislator who braved the MSNBC talking-heads show to do his part in support of Obama's campaign.
Matthews was merciless: "What has he accomplished, sir? You say you support him. Sir, you have to give me his accomplishments. You've supported him for president. You are on national television. Name his legislative accomplishments. Barack Obama. Sir."
The poor local pol's answer was instructive (and accurate): "Well, I'm not going to be able to name you specific items of legislative accomplishments."
Matthews pressed on: "Can you name any? Can you name anything he's accomplished as a congressman?"
The local pol: "No, I'm not going to be able to do that tonight."
Matthews: "Well, that is a problem isn't it?"
It sure is. McCain has both an authority that comes with real experience in Washington and a good-old-boy likeability to anyone who's not working with him (he's known for outbursts in the Senate), plus he doesn't have the high negatives his colleague Sen. Hillary Clinton suffers from, perhaps fatally. McCain can adopt the "ready from day one" meme the former first lady has unconvincingly and patronizingly used with Democratic primary voters. He can do it with a legitimacy Clinton never has had.
He needs to make the fullest possible use of this obvious advantage. He needs to embrace the fact that he doesn't have a naive belief that he can wave a magic wand and remove our troops from Iraq the day he is inaugurated. He's a responsible leader, so he knows that left-wing promises to "end the war in Iraq" are euphemisms for losing the war in Iraq. However, he who campaigned for his early primaries on a "No Surrender Tour" needs to go beyond what has been his saving grace with conservative voters -- the fact that he was the leading advocate of the "surge" policy that Gen. David Petraeus has successfully executed in Iraq, at a time when that position was very unpopular in Washington. As Congress went into the Presidents' Day recess, McCain missed a great opportunity to show he's willing to be a leader. When Congress faced a deadline to continue a post-9/11 reform that allows intelligence officials to monitor foreign terrorists overseas, Congress went on vacation without getting a bill to the president's desk. As the House defiantly and recklessly refused to act, McCain could have taken the opportunity to show leadership on the domestic front of this war against us, using the deadline as a clarifying moment in both the election and the war.
But he didn't.
After winning the Wisconsin primary the following week, McCain took aim at Obama. He declared: "I will fight every moment of every day in this campaign to make sure Americans are not deceived by an eloquent but empty call for change ... that promises no more than a holiday from history and a return to the false promises and failed policies of a tired philosophy that trusts in government more than the people. Our purpose is to keep this blessed country free, safe, prosperous and proud. And the changes we offer to the institutions and policies of government will reflect and rely upon the strength, industry, aspirations and decency of the people we serve."
For all his faults, Rudy Giuliani -- when it came to terrorist surveillance -- was clear and unrelenting. He talked like the prosecutor he once was, tracking down and convicting mobsters. Maybe McCain needs a talking to the next time Rudy does a campaign appearance for him. If McCain means what he says, he needs to fight the whole war. He can convince the nation he belongs in the White House, but he's going have to lead on security, both foreign and domestic, to do it.
It would appear that we are starting to perfume the pig. While that may be doable, even to the point of “victory”, what do we win?
How hard was it to beat Gore and Kerry, two real losers? Wait a minute, those were close. What did we win there? Twelve to twenty million new amigos, a bloated, over-spending government, and a great big target for the loony left.
After Reagan, even a globalist twerp like Bush Sr, could get elected, although again with the help of a loser Dem. After the two Bushes (moving toward the “center”), what have we gotten, or will we get?
“failed policies of a tired philosophy that trusts in government more than the people”
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So what happened the last 8 yrs Mr McCain?
curtailing free speech of the people
Calling those that wanted secure borders bigots
Telling us our military was wrong to use waterboarding
on a mass killer master mind
Closing Gitmo
By their actions you shall know them.
ABM
I think Obama can be beaten and McCain knows how to do it.
Obama has time working against him - the honeymoon will be over soon.
One think could change the election, as it did in 2004: a terrorist attack or major OBL/al-Qaeda video just before the election.
Barring that,
Obama’s big wins in many of the primary states have been by his being able bring in new voters. He won in many of those states with numbers that exceeded the total votes in the previous state primaries.
Exactly. Just think if we had a good candidate. We could get excited about winning. As it stands, a victory will not really be a victory.
It is some Law of Politics that when you work hard and dlect your guy, he ain’t your guy any more. McCain doesn’t start out being “our guy.”
It is some Law of Politics that when you work hard and elect your guy, he ain’t your guy any more. McCain doesn’t start out being “our guy.”
Obama will beat McCain handily. The majority of Americans are truly that stupid.
I know. That is the problem I am having. I just can't get behind this guy. He is repugnant.
My husband wasn't all opposed to him until he came here for a townhall meeting yesterday.
After hearing the meeting, he is now against him.
He spent too much time on Global warming and pushing electric cars.
Oh well, it isn't weird if you are talking about McCain.
“If the people of this country are dumb enough to elect Obama......”
They are. And his popularity has become cult-like, not to mention that the media will be in his camp big-time and twist lots of messages in his direction.
And who in your opinion would a “good candidate” be ???
If so - why is his/her name not on the ballot?
And who in your opinion would a “good candidate” be ???
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ABM.
“After the two Bushes (moving toward the “center”), what have we gotten, or will we get?”
What we did get was lower taxes, 2 great Supreme Court Judges and an ongoing War on terror.
We did not much of what we want, but these 3 items are why we can not allow a Dem in the White House.
Unfortunately, the GOP has nominated someone who agrees with Hillary and Obama on these issues.
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