How many of you think this election will follow the 1980 analogy?

[bluestateguy]

Country in a mood of malaise, lousy economy, inflation (if not as high as 1980), high energy prices. Yet the election remains close in the polls. That was also case in the 1980 campaign. In 1980 Reagan did not blow it open until the last weekend before election day, and the final debate may have had a lot to do with that.

The two glaring differences I see are 1) McCain is not the incumbent president like Carter was, and he can trick people into thinking that he's not Bush and that they can still vote against Bush by voting for him, and 2) Obama's race. In 1980 voters were not being asked to vote for a black president, which is something that some people will have a hard time doing.

[On the Road]

1. I Certainly Hope We See an Impact from the Debates Like 1980

Not that it was the right thing, but seeing the two candidates together made up a lot of minds.

[bluestateguy]

2. kick

C'mon. I'd like to hear from all of you.

[GarbagemanLB]

3. This will be a close election, I don't care what anyone says. Presidential elections

are about people, not issues.

Obama is black, his name is funny, and his story isn't exactly 'run of the mill'.

Throw in bullshit guilt-by-association like Ayers and Wright, then throw in an opponent who served five years as a POW and is an old white male.


This election will come down to turnout, and I hope to god Obama's investments on the ground in various states pay off.

[LibDemAlways]

4. I have a friend who runs a robocall company. He mostly

works for Dems. He knows a lot of insiders. He is convinced we're looking at a very close election and gives the edge to McCain for a variety of reasons - the media loves him, he was a POW, he's perceived as a "maverick" - all the usual stuff.

He thinks Obama has a shot but only if he can get the Hillary people firmly on board. If too many sit this one out or cross over, that spells trouble.