Here's The One Thing That's Deciding This Election Now - And No One's Talking About It

[writes3000]

As much as the media and the pundits have said that this election is going to be a referendum on Barack Obama, they are wrong.

Americans, for better or for worse, are visceral people. They make decisions with their hearts and guts much more than they make decisions with their heads. Most Americans believe in their own instincts - often ignoring facts and information before their eyes. (Bush versus Kerry, anyone?)

This election is no longer a referendum on Barack Obama.

It is a referendum on John McCain.

And America is REJECTING HIM.

You see John McCain was a brand. John McCain was an IDEA. War hero. Maverick. Independent. Straight Talker. And people, across party lines, really liked the idea of John McCain.

But then the inevitable happened, the markets crashed, the debates starting airing and people actually started paying attention to John McCain, the man.

And what did their visceral instincts tell them?

The war hero was OLD.

The maverick was ERRATIC.

The independent seemed CONFUSED.

The straight talker DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT.

The brand was actually a PISSY, SCARY, SMALL MAN.

And thus, the idea of John McCain has been smothered by the reality of John McCain.

These hardening numbers we're seeing are not just an embrace of Barack Obama. They are a rejection of John McCain just as Americans have started paying attention.

The media and the pundits don't want to say what's really going on. They are much more comfortable discussing the potential, theoretical impact of race on this race.

The truth?

John McCain has become the dangerous pick for the majority of Americans. Like your creepy uncle whose jokes you have to put up with at Thanksgiving, like your heroic grandfather who still insists on doing all the things he used to do...

You have to respect them for their experience and contribution.

But you are not putting them in charge of your bank account, your children or your future.

America has seen the real John McCain and they are REJECTING HIM.

[volstork]

1. I think you are right.

Good post.

:toast:

[LynneSin]

2. John McCain needed validation that he was better than his father and grandfather

He needs to find a better way to express that.

[dragonlady]

14. Correct! We don't need another president with an oedipal complex n/t

[TwilightGardener]

3. Yep--really, who likes him? He's not very likable, as he was in 2000--

now he's just a mean old guy who tells the same tired jokes and looks pathetic and needs to surround himself with pretty gals to get any attention.

[VWolf]

6. Agreed, provided you strike the word "pretty" from your post n/t

[Lucy Goosey]

4. Well said.

I believe you are correct.

:applause:

[glowing]

5. You are right, I wouldn't allow him to watch my young child.. I don't think

he could keep up.. Or he'd fall asleep and lose the kid.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

7. I don't care why they are rejecting him, I'm just glad that they are

Personally, I don't care if he's old, short, irascible, erratic, pissy or creepy. I don't care about the window dressing as much as I care about the ideas. John McCain just has terrible ideas. If he looked like a Hollywood leading man and had a pleasant demeanor, I'd still reject him. If he had good progressive ideas, I'd vote for him even with his physical problems and bizarre behavior. But I'm glad that America is rejecting a terrible candidate, no matter what the reason.

[Wolfies Revenge]

8. he needs to go away and save what dignity he has left

[crossroads]

17. Welcome to DU Wolfies Revenge

John McFailin sadly has morfed into a joke! I lost any respect for the man that I once had!
:thumbsdown:
CR

[ecstatic]

9. I actually agree with a talking head who said the people are accepting Obama

He said something along the lines of the debates not being about McCain vs. Obama but about Obama only. People aren't even paying attention to McShame.

[rvablue]

10. Excellent point. Thanks for writing out this idea.

I hadn't really thought of things in these terms and you are spot on.

McCain was, after all, the "known" factor in this election....as far as the media was telling it at the beginning.

But noboby really knows a candidate until it gets down to the nitty-gritty and people, while I think some are saying "yes" to Obama, many are saying "no" to McCain.

[Higher Standard]

11. No one should call him a "maverick" anymore

The Maverick family upon which the term was based has officially declared that he is not a maverick.

[road2000]

12. I agree with the OP and...

I would add that the talking heads seem to give way too much credence to the economy, i.e., many of them -- even some we like -- are attributing far too many of the horserace numbers to the economy, and way too few to Obama's policies and public appeal.

[jberryhill]

13. Agreed - McCain has become quite the spectacle

and not in a good way.

[Essene]

15. Mccain/Bush & the economy. Obama wins the debates with his first question... when he says...

Mccain is continuing the failed philosophy of the Bush administration on the economy.

Both debates... it was pretty much over after that.

Americans agree. They trust Obama on the economy. They realize he makes sense on foreign policy.

[Upfront]

16. Hay 3000

Nice post. Couldn't agree more.

[FlyingSquirrel]

18. k/r

[IsItJustMe]

19. He is nasty little man, and people are picking up on that.

[Laelth]

20. Interesting theory. Good post. Thanks.

:dem:

-Laelth