So, I Haven't Seen McCain Signs, Stickers Around Town

[Steerpike]

I don't know about anyone else, but I don't think it's going to be a cakewalk.

I don't think anyone who matters does either. I've seen some comments to that effect in internet forums, but the Dems seem to have learned their lessons from '02 and '04 finally. Well, they learned it in '06 even though they barely won the Senate. The country is so well divided that the Presidential race is likely to be very close simply because so many people are purely partisan. McCain could very well win, so the Dems need to keep the vigilance up.

 

[maneal]

I don't think anyone who matters does either. I've seen some comments to that effect in internet forums, but the Dems seem to have learned their lessons from '02 and '04 finally. Well, they learned it in '06 even though they barely won the Senate. The country is so well divided that the Presidential race is likely to be very close simply because so many people are purely partisan. McCain could very well win, so the Dems need to keep the vigilance up.

The Liberal leadership learned nothing. The only reason Dems won in 06 was because 90% of the Democratic Freshman Class were CONSERVATIVE DEMOCRATS. Just as soon as they were in office, however, they started voting for the Liberal Leadership Agenda. The Liberal Democrats didn't win, the Republicans didn't lose. Dems do anything for power. They run as conservative Democrats and then when they are in, they show their true face.

True Democrats (now considered moderate Dems) are slowly leaving the Democratic Party, and coming to the GOP. Why? Because that Liberal excuse for the Dem Leadership is alienating their very own base.

 

[Paulie]

Dems do anything for power. They run as conservative Democrats and then when they are in, they show their true face.

Let's not pretend the conservative Republicans getting elected these days aren't doing the same thing.

 

[jillian]

I don't think anyone who matters does either. I've seen some comments to that effect in internet forums, but the Dems seem to have learned their lessons from '02 and '04 finally. Well, they learned it in '06 even though they barely won the Senate. The country is so well divided that the Presidential race is likely to be very close simply because so many people are purely partisan. McCain could very well win, so the Dems need to keep the vigilance up.

I still think we're extraordinarily capable of stealing defeat from the jaws of victory.

 

[Steerpike]

The Liberal leadership learned nothing. The only reason Dems won in 06 was because 90% of the Democratic Freshman Class were CONSERVATIVE DEMOCRATS.

There's a certain amount of truth to that.

The Dems wised up and got rid of people like Michael Moore, at least as part of their public face. In 2004 they didn't have him sitting in the front row of the convention anymore. They realized they had to marginalize the extreme left to win.

I think the one problem Obama could have is that he's a lot more liberal than the vast majority of the electorate. If McCain can play that up, he can hurt Obama. On the other hand, I think a decent number of people are willing to go more liberal than they're comfortable with just to avoid another GOPer in the white house.

 

[maneal]

Let's not pretend the conservative Republicans getting elected these days aren't doing the same thing.

They don't PRETEND to be something else to get elected........

 

[maneal]

There's a certain amount of truth to that.

The Dems wised up and got rid of people like Michael Moore, at least as part of their public face. In 2004 they didn't have him sitting in the front row of the convention anymore. They realized they had to marginalize the extreme left to win.

I think the one problem Obama could have is that he's a lot more liberal than the vast majority of the electorate. If McCain can play that up, he can hurt Obama. On the other hand, I think a decent number of people are willing to go more liberal than they're comfortable with just to avoid another GOPer in the white house.

Good observation.

The Dems are still very much moderate, but the Liberal Leadership is still in control. Things would be much better if the actual Democrats would take their party back.

As for Obama and McCain, I think that McCain has enough centrist views to avoid being sucessfully labeled true GOP. (The only problem the GOP is having is they aren't voicing their TRUE views. We need some people with some "ass-kickin'" in him/her.) He is a moderate. Again, I will be voting against Obama, not voting FOR John McCain.

A new bumper-sticker idea:

McCain : The Lesser of Two Evils

 

[Toro]

The Liberal leadership learned nothing. The only reason Dems won in 06 was because 90% of the Democratic Freshman Class were CONSERVATIVE DEMOCRATS. Just as soon as they were in office, however, they started voting for the Liberal Leadership Agenda. The Liberal Democrats didn't win, the Republicans didn't lose. Dems do anything for power. They run as conservative Democrats and then when they are in, they show their true face.

True Democrats (now considered moderate Dems) are slowly leaving the Democratic Party, and coming to the GOP. Why? Because that Liberal excuse for the Dem Leadership is alienating their very own base.

Actually, that's not entirely true.

It is true that the new freshman class were primarily conservative on social issues but on economic issues, they were decidedly leftward. Every single new Democratic Congressman said they were against free trade. (I have that paper somewhere but am too lazy to link it at the moment.) That is very un-conservative. They also tended to be for higher taxes and more regulation of business.

Last poll I saw about this said the number of people who thought themselves as conservatives fell from 40% to 32% while the number of people who thought themselves liberals rose from 20% to 24%.

There has been a shift leftward in the country as some Republicans shifted to independents and some independents shifted to liberals.

The Republican Party has become more like the Democrats. They have become Small Tent Republicans where a litmus test is being applied to many candidates, both potential and sitting, to see whether the candidate is sufficiently conservative enough. If not, PACs are funneling money into the race to help defeat moderates. (Or at least there were since the GOP has been pretty desperate getting any good candidate to run in 2008.) There are far fewer moderates in the Republican Party than there were in the past. Ever hear the term "RINO?" That is not indicative of an open party.

That's one reason why I left the Republican Party.

 

[midcan5]

Judging an election by signs and bumper stickers is a bit odd. If I were a Martian I would think Ron Paul had it in the bag. He is still the biggest sign out there. PA and NJ. I do see a fair amount of Hillary and Obama signs and a few Obama bumper stickers. But yes, McCain is missing, could it be no one knows what he stands for, and thus they have no real connection to him? He's another Bob Dole in my mind, Bob's wife was cute too. Will we see him in viagra commercials too after he loses?

 

[Paulie]

They don't PRETEND to be something else to get elected........

No?

Name some good bonafide conservative Republicans who've been elected recently, that have lived up to their conservative campaign platforms.

 

[Shogun]

Judging an election by signs and bumper stickers is a bit odd. If I were a Martian I would think Ron Paul had it in the bag. He is still the biggest sign out there. PA and NJ. I do see a fair amount of Hillary and Obama signs and a few Obama bumper stickers. But yes, McCain is missing, could it be no one knows what he stands for, and thus they have no real connection to him? He's another Bob Dole in my mind, Bob's wife was cute too. Will we see him in viagra commercials too after he loses?

there are STILL two giant RP banners facing why 70 about 2 hours west of stl.

 

[Paulie]

there are STILL two giant RP banners facing why 70 about 2 hours west of stl.

That's because regardless of his much lower turn-out than his opponents, he is still regarded with much higher esteem by his supporters than any of the other candidates will ever be.

Perhaps Obama's supporters can challenge RP's in the enthusiasm dept., but I suspect there are too many Obama supporters who don't actually know why they like him, other than when he speaks he sparks intrigue.

RP offers something completely different than what anyone else is offering, but something actually NOT so different from things only 15-20 years ago.

1 Million people voted for RP in the primaries. I'm positive that doesn't represent his entire base. That's astounding when you consider that last summer, most people had never heard of him. I'm quite proud to say I had a lot to do with that.

 

[maneal]

No?

Name some good bonafide conservative Republicans who've been elected recently, that have lived up to their conservative campaign platforms.

To name a few off the top of my head... (but with references of course)

Congressman Michael Pence (R-IN)
Mike Pence - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Senator John Thune (R-SD)
John Thune - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Senator John Barrasso (R-WY)
John Barrasso - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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I furthermore disagree that the Republican party is turning into the Democrats. The problem is that the conservatives are not represented at the national level (with a strong conservative pres or vice pres candidate). The GOP isn't moving left, otherwise the base would be energized with McCain. Since their not, I tend to believe that assumption is false.

I would like to see your OBJECTIVE sources for the shrinking of conservatives and growth of leftists......

 

[MsWikia]

I live and work in the DC/MD/VA area too! Yet, I am not surprised that there is no love for McCain here, he will def lose this area and he will probably lose all up and down this side of the east coast as well.

Honestly, some of you all have wishful hopes. Most people are sick of the Bush administration. They elected them for 2yrs and things didn't get better but worse! Most people do not want to have anything else to do with Bush, and the fact that McCain has close ties with Bush and will probably adopt some of his polices, does not sit well with the general public. It will be an interesting race, but I really think Obama has the upper hand on this one.

 

[jreeves]

I live and work in the DC/MD/VA area too! Yet, I am not surprised that there is no love for McCain here, he will def lose this area and he will probably lose all up and down this side of the east coast as well.

Honestly, some of you all have wishful hopes. Most people are sick of the Bush administration. They elected them for 2yrs and things didn't get better but worse! Most people do not want to have anything else to do with Bush, and the fact that McCain has close ties with Bush and will probably adopt some of his polices, does not sit well with the general public. It will be an interesting race, but I really think Obama has the upper hand on this one.

DC/MD/Northern Va......you would have to admit goes heavily democrat no?


This MCcain-Bush connection that Obama is trying to convey just portrays clearly Obama is desperately trying to hide his own flaws.