John McCain for President

[Charlotteman]

I don't know how you folks feel, but as the days go on I'm more and more astonished by John McCain and his whacky bid for the presidency.

The man that publically rebuked Jerry Falwell in the past is now cozying up with him and his ilk. McCain was in Seattle Friday Feb.23 and met with 12 "prominent" religious fanatics and anti abortion activists. Pastor Joe Fuiten, a rare homophobe in the Seattle area said he was pleased with McCain's views, and planned on supporting him.

In Seattle McCain was quoted as saying "....we should support GWB's plan for Iraq." He also assailed Washington D.C., calling it a "City of Satan".

This must be one of the most bizarre runs for the presidency in recent memory.

[Snowguy716]

"I would not support repealing Roe vs. Wade"

"I do not support Roe vs. Wade. It should be overturned."

Ladies and gentleman: A pandering fool.

[Charlotteman]

His blatant pandering shows his desperation. And what would make him feel desperate? The fact that he knows he can't win in a fair and normal campaign. So now he's trying to appeal to the Republican far right, even though he has never (up until now) been comfortable with them. Folks it's the same old cynical, divisive Republican politics of Richard Nixon, George H.W.Bush and George W. Bush.

Pandering and utterly pathetic.

[JDC]

And only a month ago most people were saying he'd be the likely Republican nominee!

[Snowguy716]

Hey, I won't call it a failed candidacy.

Mostly that I once had respect for him and really liked him and would have considered voting for him, but now I just see him as a pandering fool like the best of them.

Panderers certainly don't do poorly. George W. Bush is the king of panderers and in this country all it takes is 51%.

[Pillsbury]

"I would not support repealing Roe vs. Wade"

"I do not support Roe vs. Wade. It should be overturned."

Ladies and gentleman: A pandering fool.

[peaceloveunderstanding]

He's saying anything to get elected, this is his final chance.

[nashscan]

Mccain is way too liberal for me. Why would it be a good idea to elect someone who is soft on interrogating terrorists?

[torgo]

I used to like him, but he's turned into one of those guys who says whatever is fashionable at the time. He's too conservative for most liberals, and too liberal for most conservatives.

[JDC]

I used to like him, but he's turned into one of those guys who says whatever is fashionable at the time. He's too conservative for most liberals, and too liberal for most conservatives.

[Inkdaub]

I am proud to say I never supported McCain, and I don't just mean because he's a republican. There was a time when Dems were so beaten they were actually looking for a Republican to support and many decided on McCain. I...in my infinite wisdom...always got the bad vibes from this guy.

[skylinefan]

McCain just like Mitt Romney have sold their souls to the religious right and the war profiteers. I no longer have any respect for him.

[Charlotteman]

Back in 2000 when he was running against GWB for the Rep nomination, McCain seemed an elder statesman, dignified, presidential, almost like a sage. Today he doesn't look like any of that......

He hasn't even formally announced his candidacy, and he's already flipped-flopped and pandered so much that he comes across looking foolish.

[Choirboy622]

"I would not support repealing Roe vs. Wade"

"I do not support Roe vs. Wade. It should be overturned."

Ladies and gentleman: A pandering fool.

[atlrvr]

Rudy Rudy Rudy....sersiouly though, if voter turnout is high for both the primary and the election, Rudy should win in a land-slide. I don't think people trust McCain, Romney or Hillary (and they shouldn't), and I think Obama will run out of steam once his mistique wears off and people start asking "do we want a guy who promised to serve as a senator with no other short-term aspirations already abandoning that goal 2-years into his campain."

In the end, it can only be Rudy....that said, it will make his life a lot easier if Bush withdraws from Iraq before debates heat up in Summer 08.

[monsoon]

I think the fact that Newt Gingrich has fallen on his sword so that people will forget about his adulterous affairs by the time he announces in August or so, demonstrates the GOP is a party in a shambles at the moment. McCain should be the heir apparent to the candidacy, but he isn't because he has decided to run as GW Bush of 2000 and not McCain of 2000 which is going to lose him the moderate vote. Unfortunately for the GOP, it's machinery is not used to the situation that it finds itself in with no clear winner to the next primary season.

It's also not clear to me that Rudy is electable. He is at the top of the polls right now on the GOP side mainly because all of the other name brand candidates have so many issues with that party's base, but that won't translate into a win for president. So far he has yet to put forth a message that says where he wants to take this country and has only rested on his laurels of being the mayor of NYC when 9-11 occurred. I am not sure this is much of a benefit in short memoryed America and they will rip him to shreds if he doesn't soon come up with a real message.

I also think that with the primary schedules shifting around this next primary is going to be quite different than all the others from the past.

[kayman]

Rudy Rudy Rudy....sersiouly though, if voter turnout is high for both the primary and the election, Rudy should win in a land-slide. I don't think people trust McCain, Romney or Hillary (and they shouldn't), and I think Obama will run out of steam once his mistique wears off and people start asking "do we want a guy who promised to serve as a senator with no other short-term aspirations already abandoning that goal 2-years into his campain."

In the end, it can only be Rudy....that said, it will make his life a lot easier if Bush withdraws from Iraq before debates heat up in Summer 08.

[atlrvr]

Except that I don't think Rudy ever made a bed of lies, at least as far as his personal life goes. He seems out there as "I haven't been the best husband or father, but I've always taken my job very seriously".....doesn't make me life him as a person, but I'm betting most voters are more interested in the candidate that can lead the country over a personal life. Certainly that was what Democrats were claiming when the economy was booming under Clinton.

As far as him running out of steam, its possible. I think this election year will be about a rolling wave of popularity for lots of candidates, similar to what Dean enjoyed in 2004. There isn't enough of a clear cut favorite, but I'm still putting my money on Rudy.

The Republican party may be in shambles (and it certainly is), but until the Democrats can get together a message thats more clear than "not Republican" and "get out of Iraq", they will suffer long term....their agenda is always about the "now", and I don't see the country in a poor state of affairs in 2008 to have rallying cry like in 2006.

[Snowguy716]

Except that I don't think Rudy ever made a bed of lies, at least as far as his personal life goes. He seems out there as "I haven't been the best husband or father, but I've always taken my job very seriously".....doesn't make me life him as a person, but I'm betting most voters are more interested in the candidate that can lead the country over a personal life. Certainly that was what Democrats were claiming when the economy was booming under Clinton.

As far as him running out of steam, its possible. I think this election year will be about a rolling wave of popularity for lots of candidates, similar to what Dean enjoyed in 2004. There isn't enough of a clear cut favorite, but I'm still putting my money on Rudy.

The Republican party may be in shambles (and it certainly is), but until the Democrats can get together a message thats more clear than "not Republican" and "get out of Iraq", they will suffer long term....their agenda is always about the "now", and I don't see the country in a poor state of affairs in 2008 to have rallying cry like in 2006.

[Charlotteman]

Speaking of the Republicans being in shambles, what do ya'll think about Jerry Falwell's recent cozying up to Newt Gingrich?

And to remind everyone, years ago Newt was involved in a divorce with highly immoral overtones. He also has an openly gay sister, Candace. Is his past and his sister going to pass muster with the Religious Right?

Newt looks dead on arrival. McCain was dead a long time ago. Romney probably won't go anywhere---afterall he wouldn't even be able to carry his home state (Mass.) in a general election! Yes Gulianni is looking stronger every day.

[monsoon]

The religious fanatics led by the likes of Falwell, Robertson, Dobson and others have a big issue in that all of the candidates they have supported do not have their "family values" what with multiple divorces, affairs while married, children that are drug users and estranged from them, etc etc. The GOP has a big problem because these are the only people left that will routinely support that party along with the rich who want laws passed to make them richer. The lot that I will call the neo-Reaganists.

The good thing is that America has awakened somewhat from it's stupor and realized that when you put this bunch in control, it means bad stuff for the common folk. Wars without end, faith (theirs) based initiatives, and loss of constitutional rights has resulted. McCain used to be a populist but sadly has sold out to this bunch because he knows that without them, he isn't going anywhere even though it was this bunch that smeared him through the mud in 2000 because he dared challenge the pre-ordained candidate, GW Bush. The world would be a much better place today if McCain had won that primary.

In thinking about it, a year from now we will still be 8 months away from the election. I am not ready to count out McCain yet or anyone else yet.

[Charlotteman]

Yes the election is certainly a long way away. But the early interest in it shows what an important election it will be.

Speaking again of the Republicans, and the electability factor----two of the party's major candidates for president in 2008, Guilliani and Romney, would (most likely) not be able to carry their home states in the general election. Gulliani wasn't able to win the N.Y. statewide vote for US Senator (he lost to Hillary Clinton) and I highly doubt he could win New York State's electoral college votes.

And the very idea of Romney winning Massachusettes' electoral college votes in the general election is hilarious. Fergoodness sakes Mass. went for George McGovern in 1972, the only state to do so!

Candidates that are unable to carry their home states are certainly facing an uphill climb. History shows a weakness in your own backyard isn't much of a basis for running nationally.

McGovern lost his home state, South Dakota in 1972's general election. He lost the general election in a landslide to Richard Nixon.

Walter Mondale barely carried his own state, Minnesota in 1984's pres election. He went on to lose the general elction in a landslide.

Al Gore was not able to carry his home state, Tennessee in 2000. If he had only carried his own state along with the states he carried, he would have won the electoral college result.

Surely if a nobody like me realizes this, Gulliani's and Romney's people must already be worried about it.

[intcvlcphlga]

Speaking again of the Republicans, and the electability factor----two of the party's major candidates for president in 2008, Guilliani and Romney, would (most likely) not be able to carry their home states in the general election. Gulliani wasn't able to win the N.Y. statewide vote for US Senator (he lost to Hillary Clinton) and I highly doubt he could win New York State's electoral college votes.

[Charlotteman]

Well folks, there he goes again!

John McCain is now pandering to Cuban nationalist groups in Florida. He recently met with a group of "leaders" in Miami and warned of socialist encroachment into Latin America.

I am wondering if this means he favors American intervention in the region. One has to wonder if this was the way the right-wing Cubans interpreted such a warning from McCain.

Just what we need, more American foreign aggression and mischief---this time in Latin America. John McCain is truly losing touch with reality.

[nowensone]

I think they need to get the primaries over now so that certain candidates will stop spending so much money between now and next May and give it to charity or the SS fund. There is a 0% chance of McCain winning the GOP nomination, if his advisors don't get that then I am going to go into business as a political advisor because they all really suck.