Political Punch

I find it funny that you libs think because of your low percentage of America Haters are against something that it means America is against something.

Better becareful libs I mean you are bestowing on President Bush God like powers blaming him for everything (except all the good he has done) you blame him for hurricanes, floods, and so forth, he may smite you down!

also please keep the lies about McCain and lobbyists, because it just shows you libs are blind and liars. Also ignore Obama's ties to Racists and Terrorists that the Liberal MSM ignores also! and Clintons lies!!

McCain needs your support so we do not get an America Hater as President, sho are not proud of this great country!

The fact that Obama got mad at Hilary and finally showed some true colors is hurting him! He dug a hole for himself, by promising to stay above the rifts and he failed. He has had his surrogates out there and attacking Hilary for racism when she never said anything racist!

When did the name Hussein become a racist comment, i know it means dictator, mass murderer and so forth but is not a racist comment!!

The good news is the Republicans do not have to worry, because they never use racism like the libs and since the media and Obama already used that defense it has become old!!

10. Any ticket that doesn't have the current choice of a particular supporter as the democratic presidential nominee will result in a defection to the Republican party and a vote for McCain.

If Hillary is not President, my wife and I are voting for McCain (which is interesting, because we have never voted republican before in our lives). I suspect some Obama-bots feel the same way.

The *only* way I see out of this is to have a Hillary/Obama ticket (with Hillary as the President). From anecdotal evidence, it appears more obama-bots are willing to vote Hillary than vice-versa.

McCain's problem in a general election is oddly similar to Obama's problem in a general election; namely that both do their best with upper class voters who disproportionately vote in primaries and caucuses and are a much smaller % of general election voters.

For instance, McCain in Texas was his strongest with voters from households that made more than $200,000 last year, whereas McCain was weakest and his opponent Mike Huckabee the strongest with voters from households that made less than $50,000.

And in fact McCain did badly enough with $50k or less voters that he tied Huckabee with that demographic in spite of winning the state of Texas overall by 13 points.

This is a serious problem for McCain that combined with his Pro-NAFTA positions make the make or break state of Ohio look virtually unwinnable for him. And if he doesn't take the obvious remedy of tapping Huckabee (who has shown extraordinary strength with low income voters in all the states where he’s spent significant time and money) as his VP, I think he'll simply have to bite down and seriously retool his message.

And when I say that, I don't mean per se turning on NAFTA, but rather that he needs to find ways of signaling to voters that he isn't some out of touch elitist who cares so little about ordinary Americans that he doesn't even know the price of gas when he's asked it.

And to do this, it would sure help if he stood up to the Wall Streeters in a way that matters.

A nice way to start would be to not pick someone like Romney or Rob Portman as his VP as neither or those two men make any real strategic sense unless a primary purpose of the appointment was to kiss up to the very economic elites that the people of this country are more sick and suspicious of than ever before.

I also think it's critical that McCain's Economic Adviser comes up with a Health Care plan that makes sense to the common man.

As much as I disagree with him on some things, McCain has said some things on Health Care which make a lot of sense in terms of paying doctors for results so you actually know the money is doing some good and isn't just a giant boondoggle; and I hope McCain has the nerve to roll out a Health Care plan based on that basic idea even if he might have some Doctors and Hospitals gunning for him as a result.

For number 7, Repubs. don't have to figure out anything for it doesn't matter whom will be the nominee b/c we, Repubs, will win. This election is personal among both the candidates an their supporters. And, there is no way the supporters of either candidate will support the other candidate. I'm not crazy about McCain but I'd prefer him over a Dem.

3. If Obama is the nominee, win Latino voters.

...by pandering to them on immigration, thus losing hardcore conservatives? 'Cause that's the only way that'll happen.

Not a bad list but I would add that McCain definately needs to lose the hothead jerk junkyard dog aspect to his personality - very damaging to him and this nation. And what's with personifying the ugly American? That REALLY needs to go. He requires immediate crash courses in economics. His honesty about money needs serious work-- especially when he pulls stunts like shuffling Arizona earmarks onto his partner senator so he can claim he doesn't deal in them and has lobbyists bulging his pockets. We aren't stupid.

I can't believe they used ohn McCain's middle name, this is racism.

The reason that Clinton can win Texas and Ohio is the same why Republicans can win the nation: only negative campaign works and works particularly well to under-educated democrats.

Lauren | Mar 5, 2008 2:09:23 AM

You must talk about US of Mars.

Your comments show women are too emotional. Anybody who can stire their raw emotion can win. They don't think rationally when they get emotion.

Marc | Mar 5, 2008 2:19:02 AM

I don't think it's over for Obama. I think what happened is a stark reminder to democrats and to the nation how disgusting the Clinton machine is. This will be her ultimate un-do.

Obama weathered this storm and becomes much stronger. Not only he knows what to expect, but also knows how to respond. And, he has plenty of leaverage and can definitely come back. Also because of this, he is free to use negative campaign against Clinton. You know what, it does not take too much effort to remind everybody about what it was like in Clinton years.

He can also pull all stops.

I actually think John McCain will win. He is a very likable person, very principle-minded, compasionate. He is also strong in national security, in fact, very strong. If Clinton is nominated, John McCain should have no problem winning. His "surge" strategy is a winning solution and is working. Iraq will get better each day. By the time we get to November, Iraq will be almost completely off the radar screen or even to McCain's advantage. Yah, he has a very good chance to win, particularly if Clinton is the nominee.

John Mc is likeable and has the demeanor of a President. I think his chances are excellent in winning the Presidency except the war in Iraq will be the determining factor. With the Hillary and Barrack campaigns the winner in the final analyst will be, no matter how negative, the person who tells the undisputable truth about the other, in as respectful a manner as possible please. It's the truth people want to hear about both these candidates.

HRC will win over McCain if for no other reason than woman's reproductive rights - the very ones he'd trample on. Throw in the usual republican smug lies and mistruths and the picture is complete - 4 more years of Bush/Cheney. Plus his public speaking style is so uninspiring!

Then again, the Internet tells us otherwise:

Obama vs. McCain-
Google, Web Hit Statistics and Facebook Figures:

Since you used McCain's full name I expect to see Barack Hussein Obama Jr being used from now on.

McCain win on national security? Didn't he get captured. He survived and that says a lot but I don't feel any safer with him making decisions.

Hopefully McCain can defeat either of these "Progressive Socialists" ! Save us John !!!!!!!!!

Lauren, 1) The fact that the Clinton campaign went negative this week is indisputable. Mark Penn, Clinton's chief strategest, has stated that his intention was to pull out all the stops before this set of primaries, and Doug Thompson, who has known the man for years describes his approach as to attack without hesitation, take no prisoners and win by any means possible. 2) The Project for Excellence in Journalism found that media coverage of Obama over the past two weeks has been exactly the opposite - in fact the coverage, based on 48 media outlets has been overwhlemingly negative. So maybe we will finally hear some real questions about issues and records, instead of endless droning about kool aid.

It's over. John Mc Cain will be the next president of the United States. HRC has proven that fear mongering still works, it takes a few pictures of the WTC collapsing and all is settled. And why would we want HRC when we can have the original; a really strong military leader. Wihtout a doubt that's John Mc Cain. Nothing else will matter.

And the Dems don't deserve to win, this primary is proof of it. No unity, no strategy, just a bunch of chickens who don't even have the guts to stand up to the president though they control Congress. They don't deserve to win.

I am convinced that John Mc Cain will be an honorable patriot president. He is now my man.

Marc

Clinton HAS worked in a bi-partisan manner -- very notably worked with both Lindsey Graham AND Newt Gingrich. Perhaps you should revise that one to include only Obama.

Hillary has done this well, even with many in the media spinning against her.

When she was so far ahead in the delegate count, no one was asking Barack to bow out.

It's called a double standard.

The independent Center for Media Matters found that Obama has gotten 84% positive coverage, where as Hillary has gotten 53% positive coverage.

That means that the media is spinning half of their coverage of Hillary negative.

Somehow when she puts out an ad about who would you want to answer the phone at 3am, it's an attack, and it's about fear mongering, but when Barack puts out the same exact ad for himself, no one calls it an attack "back", or fear mongering "back".

He attacks her all the time.

She has legitimate reasons to question his experience and qualifications, because he doesn't have much of them.

That's not an attack, that's reality, and it's important.

What the media doesn't realize is that there are enough people who want the most qualified, experienced candidate to govern and help our country at this time.

And no matter how the media plays Barack up, and Hillary down, enough people know that Hillary is truly the most qualified candidate.

Hillary really didn't win Texas tonight. She might end up with fewer delegates in Texas even though she won the popular vote. I think it is going to be hard to give her the nomination if she doesn't close the delegate gap. It looks like a brokered convention.

Yaaayy! Some Justice! Ohio and Texas style!

Hillary has better chances than Obama against McCain, because Hillary is stronger on both national defense and the economy.

And she done a lot of bipartisan work, she just never gets any credit for it. From CBS's "For the Record":

She went into the Senate not as a show horse but as a work horse," said former Hillary Clinton press secretary Lisa Caputo.

Learning the Senate power structure, landing a coveted spot on the Senate Armed Services Committee, and reaching out to former Republican foes.

She teamed with Bill Frist on modernizing medical record - and with Tom DeLay on foster care. She teamed with Lindsay Graham, who had led the impeachment effort against her husband, on benefits for veterans. She worked with Newt Gingrich on health care policy.

"We were agreeing with each other so much, I think people were thinking: 'the end is near!'" Clinton said about her collaboration with Gingrich.

"The most fascinating thing about Clinton in the Senate was to hear the conservative Republicans that had gone back home and often advanced their own political careers by using Hillary as the great whipping person," said Norman Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute, "going around saying privately and for some of them publicly, 'wow what a nice person and what a terrific colleague.'"

But all of her efforts to bridge the gap with the right were seen by some on the left as burning bridges with her base.

It's all a matter of spin. When she unifies, it gets spun against her. But now we have the chance to clear it all up!

If Hillary can salvage her campaign (probably by telling Bill to go home and be quiet), she MIGHT choose Obama as her Vice Presidential running mate. If so, NO ONE could beat such a team; McCain could pack his bags and head for the nearest retirement home.

As far as I can see, it's the same 'ol Democratic Party all over again - never organized, never unified, just leave the door wide open.

Looks like the only hope is that McCain is just "getting support" by playing the hard-line and will flip over to the good side when he gets elected. I lived through Vietnam, and Nixon, and Bush but I'm not going to stay here and watch this country just totally go to hell.

Maybe Mac should go to the Dem Convention and broker a peace between the two.

McCain has absolutely no morals. Why don't you ask his wife who he left after being in a debilitating car accident. And gee, why did he leave. Well, the answer is little Cindy, 25 yrs old and rich rich rich. And she has what he need for his ambition, political connections. And Gee, our little Cindy runs a "Charity. The what underprivlidged groups benfit from that charity, the McCain's kids private schools.
And John McCain, that old straight talker who says he wants to get the lobbist out of government has a whole bunch working in his campaign. People need to do thier own research on this gas bag because the media cetainly won't. What a prince amoung men. Yea, 4 more years 4 more years. Oh wait, McCain wants 100 more years 100 more years.

McCain doesn't need to mention Rezco, Whitewater, present votes, etc... these two are swiftboating each other.

Huh, even if his stances are different from the Democrats, no matter how you look at it, he's still way more experienced with national security than either Democratic nominee.

I'm not pointing out his torture as a qualification for his experience, simply his many years in the Senate and in the Committees.

If Obama is the nominee then
How about NAFTA & Canadians, Rezko & dirty Chicago politics. These issues helped Hillary win Ohio.

The sad part is no matter what happens a pro war Democrat will be in the White House. Wether it's name is McCain (Iraq), Clinton (Iraq) or Obama. (Afghanistan) Get ready for the draft folks. Better send your kids to Canada NOW!!!

Condee will be a heartbeat from the no. 1 spot... she will be subject to the same criticism of Obama - no experience of any elective kind. Mac needs a good Second to ease the fears of those who are concerned about his age.

how about Condaleeza Rice as VP?

There is no way I will vote for Hillary, Mark. I have seen too much filth from her campaign. Don't get me wrong, I have taken up for her and Bill for years, but her negative hate-mongering has put this old girl over the edge. Voting for her would be my equivalent of voting for the devil herself.
I survived Bush, I can survive McCain. And I can tell you from the area where I live, McCain will run strong and will beat her.

McCain needs to look at every state as a battle ground no matter who the nominee will be. He needs to stump in all 50 states. I have no illusions, once the Dems pick a winner they will come together for the most part. He needs to contest that person in every state - even in states that Rep normally do not go - like California. this may be the perfect storm of politics that gets him into a Whitehouse that would not normally go to any Republican, but he has a lot going for him now. 1) His bitter primary contest with Bush in 2000 - so he's not looking so chummy with him, 2) he is a center-right, 3) Democratic disarray, 4) Commander ready and possibly 5) electrorate fatigue of either Dems.

Easy, Chip -- I'm for Obama too. But I'd rather vote for the devil himself than a 72-year-old version of George W. Bush.

Well you know us cults, we just vote like our leader...so no Obama no vote for Hillary.
Soreheaded?? Maybe, but I will not vote for her.

earthisnotflat: pew research released study showing obama losing a good chunk of clinton's supporters -- more than she would lose. main categories dropping off: whites - men and women (especially poor people).

uh, mary. i'm an independent, but my 93-year old mother is a yellow-dog democrat. it's been a very, very long time since that dignified woman has not been considered an adult. and on the torture issue - i have to guess that it's not part of your experience. trust me, if you had been, you would not make light of it. and i've noticed that senator mccain rarely refers to his experience for political gain.

Any sorehead Clinton or Obama voter who would then opt for George W. McCain because their candidate didn't survive the primaries is dangerously shortsighted at best. McCain will continue running this country into the ditch, just like the little emperor did.

Talk about cutting off one's nose to spite one's face....

you have truly run out of ideas.

here's one: get an opponent from a fractured party.

chasseur... you are strange... can't imagine a clinton voter moving to the mccain camp... lets face it, obama and clinton are very close on most issues and are light years from the republicans

A typically thoughtless, presumptuous, knee-jerk GOP attack from Mary.

*WHAT I SAID* was that, despite how amazing and courageous a feat surviving five years in a Vietnamese prison camp may be, *IT DOES NOT* magically make one suitable presidential material, or confer any particular gifts of vision, wisdom or leadership upon that -- and I stand 100% by that correct statement.

So save your personal attacks for someone more deserving, Mare.

If Hillary gets the nomination voters like myself vote for McCain rather than another lying Clinton.

Shoot, the party is split now. Just let Hillary keep at it and we're done. He can do it all on public financing and have money left over for some cool war supplies.

9. Simply act like the grown-up that you are. There are no adults on the Democratic side.

10. Show losers like Mark, the class that you learned from being tortured daily for 5 years. I have a feeling Mark thinks torture is having to get up in the morning.

If it's Obama:

9. Just wait - the smoke will evaporate and the people will start looking behind the mirrors. It's all smoke and mirrors - nothing else.

If it's Hillary:

9. Just wait - people don't like this woman. She will self-destruct - even though she's actually quite qualified.

>>1. National security, national security, national security.

Yes. McCain can tout his support for 100 years in Iraq and war with Iran! What a brilliant strategy -- because we all know how popular the war in Iraq is. He's a national security genius!

The fact that you list this as his number 1 strategy for beating the Democrats is truly hilarious.

9. pretend george bush didn't endorse you

10. hide the fact you've had affairs from the religious right (the only ones stillsupporting repubs)

11. Continue to avoid questions from his cadre of adoring, non-threatening press sycophants about his periolously close ties to lobbyists, his Keating Five scandal, and the 30+ lobbyists currently running and helping to fund his campaign.

12. Pretend that five years in the Hanoi Hilton magically confers presidential abilities upon a candidate.

13. Pray to God that his alibi regarding the lady lobbyist holds. (The MSM *IS* continuing to look into that, isn't it?)

if Obama gets the nomination Hillary Clinton supporters like myself vote for McCain rather than the corrupt cult leader. That's all you need.

9. Avoid talking about how we got into Iraq as much as possible.

10. Lie to the American people about the actual costs required going forward in Iraq, which MSM folks like yourself will regurgitate verbatim.