McCain needed a knock out punch during the debate tonight just to get back in the game and he didn't get it. According to a CNN focus group who watched the debate live, while McCain won the first 30 minutes, he lost the last hour as he got testier and testier (his temperament has long been a stumbling block for him). There in lies one of McCain's fundamental problems--he's just not likable. A CNN post-debate telephone poll with viewers who watch the debate rated McCain's likability as only 22%. And this is big trouble for McCain who trails in the polls in a number of key states. Not only isn't he likable, the average voter just isn't connecting with him.
The average voter just can't connect with a man who has 7+ houses (actually doesn't know how many he has) and at least as many cars. McCain hasn't spent a day in his life wondering how to pay his many mortgages; worrying about how he's going to pay a hospital bill if he get's sick (he's been covered by Federal health insurance for most of his adult life--first in the Navy and later as a 20 year veteran of Congress); wondering if he should pay the electric bill, water bill or phone bill this month; or how he's going to pay for his childrens' education.
McCain's biggest problem is he's out of touch and he did nothing tonight to portray himself otherwise. We've got 19 days until the election and a lot can happen in that time. But, for the moment, I'm cautiously optimistic.
Showing posts with label Republicans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Republicans. Show all posts
15 October 2008
04 September 2008
Glass Houses
Hmmm ... The Republicans would never do something so dastardly as play the gender card over the coverage their new VP candidate is getting would they? After all, didn't they mock Hillary for complaining about the media coverage during the primary? I believe Sarah Palin herself even said that Hillary needs to quit whining and just "work harder" to prove she's good enough.
In case the embedded video won't play properly for you, here's the direct link: it's too good too miss: Daily Show Sarah Palin Qualifications
Gosh the GOP would never indulge in hypocrisy would they?
Some more lessons from Republicans now that Palin is their new candidate:
In case the embedded video won't play properly for you, here's the direct link: it's too good too miss: Daily Show Sarah Palin Qualifications
Gosh the GOP would never indulge in hypocrisy would they?
Some more lessons from Republicans now that Palin is their new candidate:
- If you're a Democrat and you make a VP pick without fully vetting the individual you're "reckless." A Republican who doesn't fully vet is a "maverick."
- If you say that for the "first time in my adult lifetime I'm really proud of my country" it makes you "unfit" to be First Lady. If your husband has been an active and registered member of a fringe political group that advocates Alaska seceding from the United States, then he's perfectly qualified to be the "Second Dude" because you can tell he only joined the group because he's really proud of his country.
- If you grow up in Hawaii you're "exotic." Grow up in Alaska eating moose burgers, you're the quintessential "American story." (Hey I have moose burgers every Friday night, don't you?)
- Teaching about birth control in schools is wrong because it only encourages teenagers to have sex. Teaching about abstinence will stop teen pregnancy completely because no teenager will ever have sex if we teach that. In fact, we should cut the funds allotted in the Alaskan state budget (and all of the rest of the states while we're at it) to support unwed teenage mothers because they all have wealthy families who will take care of them.
(Special thanks to Heidi for her email this afternoon and Elisa for the video hookup)
12 November 2006
An Ironic Twist Of Fate
"In an ironic twist of fate this week, Iraq affected regime change in the US," said Amy Pohler to open Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update last night. When I heard those words, I had one of those "holy crap, she's right moments". It is perhaps one of the greatest ironies in politics today. President George Bush went into Iraq to bring down a government and in turn essentially brought down his own. Talk about being hoisted on your own petard.
Even the most liberal of Republicans were unceremoniously tossed from office as the mid-term elections became a referendum on the Iraq War and the performance of the President. US Senator Lincoln Chaffee, a Republican so liberal that voted against Bush's agenda approximately 90% of time, was tossed out on his keester. Republicans across the country were swept from office in a domino effect from the Federal level down to the state and local levels.
As a Democrat, I should be doing cartwheels right now. To a certain extent I am. This election essentially offers a check on the right wing agenda. Bush's reactionary judicial candidates no longer have a snow ball's chance in hell of getting confirmed. (However, the damage has already been on the Supreme Court. I'm just hoping that the last of the liberals and centrists can hang on until after the next election). Bolton will be out at the UN and Rumsfeld is history.
But, I'm also concerned. I know that the exit polls tell us that that the new Democratic majority is more a repudiation of Bush's policies as opposed to an affirmation of the Democratic agenda. The Democrats won without having a clear message and plan for moving forward. There is much at stake between now and the next presidential election in 2008. Up for discussion: a long overdue increase in the minimum wage, environmental protection, eroding civil liberties and increased governmental surveillance, health care issues, education, abortion rights, stem cell research, and of course how do we extricate ourselves from the growing quagmire in Iraq?
It's been quite some time since we Democrats had a standard bearer--a leader to motivate the masses and make us vote for something rather than against. The leadership vacuum within the Democratic Party worries me greatly. Nancy Pelosi is poised to become the first female Speaker of the House. But, she's has the potential to be polarizing and is the type of liberal that, unfortunately, doesn't play well in the more conservative heartland. There's Hillary Clinton, who people either love or hate (see Nancy Pelosi's problem). I'm one of the rare ones who can't decide if I like her or not. Barak Obama has generated a lot of attention lately, but, he's untested and I really don't know enough about where he stands on the issues. John Kerry would like another crack at the Presidency, but frankly he's the King of Foot in Mouth Disease lately and he ran a crappy campaign last time. (I voted against Bush rather than for Kerry). Also waiting in the wings are Evan Bayah (who I don't like) and VP candidate John Edwards (from whom I'd like to see more). I'm sure there are a few others, but frankly, the fact that I can't remember who they are should tell you just how much of an impression they've made on me.
We need a leader to step forward that has a vision--a plan. And I fear greatly we don't have it. We've got 2 years to set ourselves up for success in the 2008 election cycle. The Republicans 2 years to regroup. If we muck up this opportunity, the odds of retaking the White House are slim. As much as I'd like to sit back and enjoy watching Bush stymied for two years, we as a party need to give our nation more than 2 years of gridlock. We need a leader who can provide hope and light the way to a brighter future. The question is, "Do we have one?"
Even the most liberal of Republicans were unceremoniously tossed from office as the mid-term elections became a referendum on the Iraq War and the performance of the President. US Senator Lincoln Chaffee, a Republican so liberal that voted against Bush's agenda approximately 90% of time, was tossed out on his keester. Republicans across the country were swept from office in a domino effect from the Federal level down to the state and local levels.
As a Democrat, I should be doing cartwheels right now. To a certain extent I am. This election essentially offers a check on the right wing agenda. Bush's reactionary judicial candidates no longer have a snow ball's chance in hell of getting confirmed. (However, the damage has already been on the Supreme Court. I'm just hoping that the last of the liberals and centrists can hang on until after the next election). Bolton will be out at the UN and Rumsfeld is history.
But, I'm also concerned. I know that the exit polls tell us that that the new Democratic majority is more a repudiation of Bush's policies as opposed to an affirmation of the Democratic agenda. The Democrats won without having a clear message and plan for moving forward. There is much at stake between now and the next presidential election in 2008. Up for discussion: a long overdue increase in the minimum wage, environmental protection, eroding civil liberties and increased governmental surveillance, health care issues, education, abortion rights, stem cell research, and of course how do we extricate ourselves from the growing quagmire in Iraq?
It's been quite some time since we Democrats had a standard bearer--a leader to motivate the masses and make us vote for something rather than against. The leadership vacuum within the Democratic Party worries me greatly. Nancy Pelosi is poised to become the first female Speaker of the House. But, she's has the potential to be polarizing and is the type of liberal that, unfortunately, doesn't play well in the more conservative heartland. There's Hillary Clinton, who people either love or hate (see Nancy Pelosi's problem). I'm one of the rare ones who can't decide if I like her or not. Barak Obama has generated a lot of attention lately, but, he's untested and I really don't know enough about where he stands on the issues. John Kerry would like another crack at the Presidency, but frankly he's the King of Foot in Mouth Disease lately and he ran a crappy campaign last time. (I voted against Bush rather than for Kerry). Also waiting in the wings are Evan Bayah (who I don't like) and VP candidate John Edwards (from whom I'd like to see more). I'm sure there are a few others, but frankly, the fact that I can't remember who they are should tell you just how much of an impression they've made on me.
We need a leader to step forward that has a vision--a plan. And I fear greatly we don't have it. We've got 2 years to set ourselves up for success in the 2008 election cycle. The Republicans 2 years to regroup. If we muck up this opportunity, the odds of retaking the White House are slim. As much as I'd like to sit back and enjoy watching Bush stymied for two years, we as a party need to give our nation more than 2 years of gridlock. We need a leader who can provide hope and light the way to a brighter future. The question is, "Do we have one?"
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