What was McCain thinking ?

[peter_puck]

I really don't get what just happened.

McCain lets the Democrats paint him as a clone of George Bush. In reality, McCain hates Bush more than I do. Outside of the guy who got his testicles blown off in Iraq, there is no greater victim of Bush than McCain. In any normal, ethical country, McCain would have been president 8 years ago. McCain said Bush was the Scare Crow, Tinman and Cowardly Lion all rolled into one (no heart, no brain, no courage). He said (indirectly) that he had a special place in hell. Why the heck did McCain stick by the frat-boy? Why the heck was there no response to Binden when he did that "I don't see a difference thing"

What the heck was with the ad comparing Obama to Paris Hilton. Pointing out that your opponent can outdraw you 1000 to 1 means something ?

Obama proposes the biggest welfare increase in history (disguised as a tax cut) and McCain tries to generate sympathy with a fake guy making a fake 250K ? Nobody feels sorry for someone making 250K. They do get pissed at giant welfare handouts though. But McCain did not want to talk about some undeserving person getting a handout, he talked about the poor guy making a quarter million a year.

Palin ? WTF?? When your boat is sinking, don't grab the anchor. First of all, she has scary social conservative views that piss of the independent voter that decides elections. Second of all, don't you think that somewhere in the vetting process, they should have asked "can you point out Africa on a map"? I mean I get the point about the base, but look at Obama...he should get the base plenty motivated. Even if you do pick her, you should give her a few months warning, so she could get a Geography for Dummies book or something. I mean geez John, look at history. What happened when Bush senior picked a unknown, young, piece of fuff ?

McCain has a well deserved reputation for being an honest politician. He then burns that away by making a campaign out of dishonest attacks.

McCain had a reputation as being a moderate Republican who could compete for the independent voter. He was runing in a year where the Republicans should have been playing defense. Why then the swing to the right ? Why not have a tax plan that was better for the average voter than Obamas ? Hit over and over again that the real plumber would be better off under McCain. How the heck can you lose on the issue of taxes to an UBER Liberal ?

What the heck was with his election team as well. How can you hire such a group of complainers ? Palin may be Dan Quayle in jeans but the McCain's people should not have been saying it. They should have been working on lying with a straight face.

I think he really had a shot to win if he did not try to imitate Bush in policy and ethics. Obama may be a special politician, but his views are really out of sync with a right of centre country

[August1991]

I really don't get what just happened.

WTF?

Ordinary Americans just lost alot of money. Why? Who cares! They blame the guy who is President, or who is associated in the same party. (On the watch of Bush and the Republicans, ordinary Americans lost alot of money. Who cares about the why... Blame the president and change him/her. The next guy will get the message.)

What do you think Obama and the Democrats are thinking about right now? (If Obama screws up, he's history in four years - and Obama knows it. His mind is concentrated.)

I think that it's a good system. It's simple and it keeps the bastards honest. "You or your friends screw up? You're history." Sadly, too many countries in the world don't have such a system.

----

Added point: The truly great feature of the American system is how well they transfer power. In how many countries of the world (think of Zimbabwe or our own Liberal shenanigans) would one Head of State voluntarily give power to another with such words:

"This peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of a true democracy," he told about a 1,000 members of the White House executive staff gathered on the South Lawn. "And ensuring that this transition is as smooth as possible is a priority for the rest of my presidency."

"No matter how we cast our ballots, this election gives us all reason to be proud of our democracy and our country," he said.

USA Today

The peaceful passing of the State's power (without death) is truly the measure of a civilized society. The US has achieved this for over two centuries. No other country is so civilized. (France has achieved the same but for slightly less time. The United Kingdom still relies on the death of a monarch. Russia has barely achieved it once and China about never.)

Bush didn't add this other hallmark of a true democracy, something the UK, China, Russia have never achieved: the peaceful transfer of power between two people who fundamentally disagree with one another.

In what countries around the world could someone like Bush Jnr willingly and peacefully give power to someone like Obama?

You Americans: Take a deep, deep bow for the civilized society that you have created. There are six billion people around the world who watch in admiration - not because of Obama or Bush - but how you Americans do things.

Take pride. You have a wonderfully civilized democracy that is the envy of many.

Edited November 7, 2008 by August1991

[bush_cheney2004]

...besides, Bush already beat McCain when he was eight years younger and really a "maverick". Just looking at the numbers, maybe Dubya beats Obama too in 2000 or 2004.