Lots of Dems seem fearful of a McCain nomination. I say, Dems, grow some balls, DAMN IT!!!

[IsItJustMe]

I see serious problems with McCain.

1) He has tied himself with the Bush administration is several ways, especially with the Iraq war. Don’t know if you have noticed, but that is not going over real well right now.

2) He is old. All of our candidates look energetic and young compared to McCain.

3) All of our candidates have fire in the belly. McCain looks like he is on prozac when he speaks.

4) I think people want a change over what we have been seeing over the last 7 plus years, even repugs. With McCain, your gonna get more of the same. How could it be otherwise?

5) Lots of Repugs are not very excited about McCain at all, and may very well sit out in the general election.

6) Hero worship of war heroes is being replaced by, yeah, that’s all well and good, but how does that put food on my table and bring our troops out of Iraq. In other words, reality seems to be smacking us up side our collective heads now a days.

Folks, we have a lot here to work with. Don’t know about you, but I know we can stomp his butt in the general election. Take my word for it, behind the clouds, the sun is really shining. Really!!!



(edit for typo)

[Red Zelda]

1. Well said!

McCain is a lying, obnoxious, militaristic thug. He would abandon everyone east of the Mississippi. And he'd probably die in his first term. Fuck McInsane.

[samplegirl]

2. The Guy is Bush on Steroids!!!

I think the only way the Repulicans can win this election is to steal it. Honestly I hope he makes it as it will give dems ammo on continuation of war.

[7 of 11]

3. 7 of 11 says that an Obama-CLinton alliance ticket

Would tear McCain's campaign to shreds. He wont know what the hell hit him going up against those two political tigers n/t.

[mdmc]

4. All 3 of ours can beat the Mac

:shrug:
HRC has more corporate support then Mac. She will wipe the floor with him.

[RoveRage]

5. One could tie Hillary to a number of those negatives.

[CanonRay]

6. 100 Years in Iraq? That's enough for me.

[Faygo Kid]

7. The American people turned against the war long ago. Let him run on it.

All of a sudden opposing the war is a BAD political strategy? Bullfeathers. Also, the Limbaugh dittohead right will never accept McCain. Look at what Tom DeLay is saying.

I still say McCain won't get the nomination, and if he does, let him run on the war being the best idea to ever come down the pike. He will lose.

[Faygo Kid]

8. Dupe

Sorry. Too much coffee.

[Murdock]

9. Don't underestimate McCain

1. Hillary, Edwards and to a lesser extent Obama have tied themselves to The Bush Admin vis a vis the Iraq policy as well.
2. So was Reagan and he kicked our asses.
3. McCain doesn't have the same fire he had back in 2000, but I don't think we should depend on fire in the belly.
4. McCain has actually distanced himself enough through the years that he can make a legitimate case. (He's against torture, the Bush tax cuts, McCain-Feingold, Gang of 14)
5. Once the hate machine is cranked up they'll be on fire for whomever they choose. Wait until Hannity, O'Reilly, the Evangelical Right and such get going. They march in lockstep and will be.
6. Hero worship hasn't changed. And the left isn't as dirty as the right, We won't swift-boat him. We respect his service too much.

And keep in mind, the DNC Michigan and Florida situation, potentially leaving 2 states with disenfranchised and depressed Democratic output.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

15. You have brought up some valid points that need to be addressed

So how do we go about dealing with this guy? As I say downthread, in one on one situations, you can ask a voter why they support McCain. This way you can start to understand where their priorities are--then go and find information to show McCain won't meet their expectations. That being said, here's my thoughts on each of your excellent points:

1. I think here we need to go with amount of support for Iraq. McCain saying that he would stay there 100 years gives one pause. You can ask where we are going to get the troops and money to do this. Can we do it without resorting to the draft or keeping Guardsmen and reserves in virtual military slavery?

2. Reagan was an actor and was trained to look good before an audience. McCain has his lapses that can be exploited.

3. No, we can't depend upon fire to get people to the polls. We can depend upon confidence and strength, which may mean more than fire.

4. But McCain has to walk a tightrope on what he likes/condemns about Bush's policies, especially the tax cuts. His GOP base may decide it would be better to vote Libertarian, and may well do so if Ron Paul heads the ticket there.

5. I don't know what to do about the hate machine. I will say that, like anything, the hate machine gets old after a while. And there will be a disconnect with the hate mongers if the economy continues to tank. It's one thing to believe Rush's words, but if they say everything is fine and you've lost your job, you know better.

6. I think we can handle the hero thing in a dignified manner. The old soldier is honored, but it is also realized that his time has passed.

We definitely need to mend fences in FL and MI.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. I agree with you. McCain is probably their strongest candidate

but that's not saying much.

His age will be a problem, especially if you put him next to someone as young and vital as Obama or Edwards. He'd look positively fossilized next to either of them (and now that Old Man Thomson has dropped out, McCain is definitely the Old Guy. Only Thompson could have made him look relatively young). And the fundies still don't like him and might sit this one out rather than vote for him.

He's a smart guy and a fair debater, but any of the Dems could hold their own in a debate with him. To the Obama-bashers who claim he's a lightweight who couldn't take McCain in a debate, I say, think again: Obama didn't get to be president of the Harvard Law Review by being an airhead. And he was a law professor for awhile. Anybody who went to law school knows most professors can tie your brain in knots in an argument without breaking a sweat. Edwards was a top-notch trial lawyer. Hillary is very well-versed in facts and details. I wouldn't worry about debates at all.

The war hero thing probably carries some weight with some people, but as the OP pointed out, if the economy continues to tank people will care more about their personal circumstances than what the candidate might have done 40 years ago. The war remains unpopular, and McCain's continuing support for it will hurt him.

McCain has some advantage in the respect that some people probably will think about what he was like during the 2000 campaign, when he seemed affable and likeable, and he also managed to seem like a moderate. And they'll remember how he was unfairly trashed by the Bush campaign. He is also well-liked by the MSM -- he was smart enough to cultivate the reporters rather than alienate them (like the Clintons are starting to do).

Nevertheless, I think he's very beatable -- if the Dems don't tear each other apart first.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

11. The thing to do is to listen

to folks who say they like McCain. Find out what is appealing to them. Then refute it.

Example:

"McCain's a POW. He knows what it is like to be in war."

Refutation: Then you think his idea of us staying in Iraq for 100 years and for bombing Iran are good ones? Are you willing to put your life on the line-or the life of your draft-age children- on the line for this?


I know McCain doesn't want any change to the current system of health care. What does he feel about the economy? Does he agree with Bush's stimulus package? What about helping the unemployed? This is the real vulnerable point for the pukes at this time. Even folks who are leaning towards McCain are smelling the bs about Bush's tax stimulus package. If McCain doesn't have a better idea, and our candidates DO, they will listen.

[Vinca]

12. Plus his record isn't all squeaky clean. Remember the Keating 5? nt

[bluestateguy]

13. I agree

I'd hate to be stuck in a foxhole with some of these worry warts!

[OHdem10]

14. American People do not look at things the way Activists do.

How many of us had left McCain for dead on the side of the
road monthes ago???

There is a good chance the GOP will have their candidate
and getting themselves in order and lined up to win in
the next two weeks.

To the public here are the Democrats trying to run the
one Democratic President they liked out of the party
and as usual fighting over race. The great masses
are not all involved in the political infighting.
Race Fights reminds of earlier times when the whites
werte abandoned by the Democratic Party. Like it or
not Bill Clinton was one President who could bridge
the Black White gap.

Sure the under 30s may see things differently but there
a whole lot more Americans over 45 who can be depended
on to vote.

This is what Americans see.

An Edwards supporter.

[blue neen]

16. All we have to do is show the picture of John McCain eating birthday cake

with George Bush while Katrina raged. Some leader, huh?

[MasonJar]

17. Step One is to keep the picture of McCain kissing George Bush front and

center at all times.

[Thrill]

18. McCain is running a video saying the same thing

But I think he is easy to beat. Senators with long voting records like his don't win Presidential Elections

[applegrove]

19. Our biggest hope is the McCains views on immigration reform sink

his candidacy in the South.

[UALRBSofL]

20. McCain Is Not A Bad Person

I just don't agree with most of his beliefs and plans for the country.