Wednesday, July 02, 2008
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Turnaround: McCain Gaining Momentum?
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Posted by:
Matt Lewis at
5:30 PM
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Exactly a year ago, John McCain purged a large portion of his staff including his highly-regarded campaign manager. At the time, this was seen as his campaign's nadir, but was actually the beginning of his comeback.
Today, John McCain has once again endured a campaign shake-up. But this time, the hope -- and speculation -- is that this change will once again create some momentum for McCain.
This is not an absurd thing to suppose. Not only did McCain's '07 campaign shake-up help McCain, but other recent candidates have witnessed a similar phenomenon.
John Kerry famously fired his campaign manager in late '03, before coming back to win Iowa -- and capture the nomination. And earlier this year, Hillary Clinton famously fired her campaign manager before turning her campaign around (though it wasn't enough to capture the nomination).
McCain might also be aided, however, by the recent erosion of support that has occurred since Barack Obama started flip-flopping on core issues (such as his politically calculated decision to not accept public financing) and tacking to the center (such as his change regarding FISA legislation). Additionally, attacks on McCain's military background have undermined Obama's optimistic and positive image. Clearly, the talk about Obama being a "new type" of politician has now become laughable.
Could we be witnessing the watershed moment of this General Election campaign?
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ince you knowall, when are you going to run for prez?? I guess you think you know all subjects, and have so much lib nonsense to sahare. I guess your philosyphy is like forrest's mother, zlife is like a box of chocaltes, you never know what your going to get????? |
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WHY WORRY SO MUCH THAT THE PARROT/PUPPET OBAMA WILL PROMOTE A RADICAL AGENDA, IF HE WINS THE WHITEHOUSE! SINCE HE DOESN'T HAVE AN INDEPENDANT THOUGHT PROCESS AND INSTEAD REPEATS WHAT HE ABSORBS AND IS GUIDED TO SAY OR DO. OTHERS PULL THE STRAWMANS STRINGS. LETS PRAY HE DOESN'T SURROUND HIMSELF WITH THE LIKES OF PAST FRIENDS. REV.,WRIGHT, RESCO, HAYES ETC., ENEMIES OF AMERICA! THE DELUDED OBAMA HAS ENOUGH SCARY IDEAS AND THEY NEED TO BE COOLED NOT ENCOURAGED AND HEATED UP! SO,OUR SUCCESS DEPENDS ON WHO HE LISTENS TO, SINCE HE DOESN'T HAVE A MIND OF HIS OWN! GOD HELP AMERICA. |
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wants to win the election,...he must have conservatives on his side.
unfortunately, he continues to thumb his nose at conservatives by having "closed door" meetings with LaRaza and other radical Latino orgs., promising amnesty and no telling what else.
Still, he stubbornly keeps Seno'r Juan Hernandez on his payroll,...a Mexican mole who is for Mexico and Mexicans first,.....A la reconquista.
McCains' pandering is the same as shooting himself in the foot. |
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It is not honorable to conspire behind closed doors with Ted Kennedy and La Raza against the American people.
It is not honorable to try to rush an amnesty for foreign nationals illegally in our country AND their employers through Congress without committee hearings shortcutting the normal process.
It is not honorable to have contempt for the will of the people. "I'll build the G-D fence if they want it." |
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We can start with his ability to reach across the aisle, since it contrasts so effectively with Obama's message. Obama talks about working together, but has never acted in a way that shows he's inclined to do so. But we've got a guy who HAS done so. McCain is the kind of man who can agree to disagree on some things in order to work with others to accomplish things that most of us can agree on.
We can also emphasize a comprehensive energy policy. Advocate conservation so we can get through the next few years. Explore so we will have more energy available in the near future. Develop alternative sources so we will have plentiful clean energy many years from now.
And then there's Iraq. Yes, we bungled that one. But what's the best plan going forward. Do we do what Obama suggests and pull out ASAP? Or are we a nation honorable enough to want to help others back to their feet? Do we want to be the sort of nation that goes in, makes a mess, then runs away because we don't like getting our hands dirty? Or do we want to be the sort of nation that takes responsibility for its actions, to see through the process we started, and help some new friends become strong and prosperous. |
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Poll watchers will note that McCain has gained a few points in the last few days. Remember that Newsweek poll that liberals so triumphantly touted which showed a 15 point lead for Obama? It's down to 5 points today.
Still it will be a challenge to overcome Obama's lead in a year in which people are Bush-weary and most of the elite media is pretty much openly campaigning for Obama. The big problem is that the Obama campaign is in the driver's seat in the debate. Our side is reacting too much. In football terms, we're in a prevent defense.
This was overly abundant with this week's Clark fiasco. We let a tiny barb be the straw that broke the camel's back. We let out justified anger over more than a month of attacks on McCain's military record on this one instance. And then most people who hadn't paid attention to the seven previous attacks wondered why we were getting all bent out of shape. The conclusion by John Q Public was that Republicans are unreasonable hotheads, when we're just tired of the sleaze.
The thing is, we actually do have a really good man in our corner, an honorable man and one who'd make a really good president. The McCain campaign has done a poor job of explaining why that is. We've done a poor job of explaining why that is.
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http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/02/america/02mccain.php
"Senator John McCain's presidential campaign has gone through its second shake-up in a year as McCain, responding to Republican concerns that his candidacy was faltering, put Steve Schmidt in charge of day-to-day operations and abandoned an effort to have the campaign run by 11 regional managers..."
Notice "candidacy is faltering"? Oh yeah! I get it now! I was assuming UPWARD momentum. |
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If McCain would run on , I will make sure we drill anywhere we need to, I will lower your cost at the pump, he would win with no problem, but I doubt if he is that bright,
Sincerely,
L. Steve Taylor |
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like a laser beam on streamlining his message. What is it? We don't know yet and it's July. He needs to choose two or three issues to focus on (hopefully the economy is at the top) and find himself a mantra that he'll play over and over like a song you can't get out of your head. And he should list exactly what his ideas are not just use generalizations like "we need a change." That's a given. Obama's message has become too convoluted and if you ask voters what he means by change they apply their own meaning because he's not being specific. Include Obama's recent flip-flops and you could say a window of opportunity has opened for McCain. It's now or never. |
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No? Oh well, guess he really doesn't want to win. Maybe he could run for President of Mexico after he loses. |
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keep dreaming knuckleheads. |
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from Monty Python.
"If he wasn't nailed to the perch, he'd be pushign up the daisies."
A lot of wishful thinking there.
If McCain has any hope of blunting the huge Democratic tide that is coming, he has to really outline a vision. Otherwise, he's toast. So far, he hasn't done that. |
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