Who's left and what I think it means

[salinen]

McCain - He really is a Maverick. He possesses a quality unknown for republicans, he co-sponsors decent legislation with fellow democrats. On occasion he will oppose his own parties unanimous view. His speech isn't limited to rehearsed sound bites that is the trademark of the republican party. He is wholly disliked by the entire hate radio clan. He has some true allies in the Senate, democrats, that many of us respect.

What I think this means - The voters are sick of partisanship. McCain is the only republican I can think of who is not outright hostile to democrats. People want their representatives to get along because at least the appearance is that they are considering the citizens desires, and not just infighting. Maybe some feel he deserves a chance after the lies told about him by Bush in 2000.

Clinton - She has a history that includes a strong fight for decent and affordable health care. She also coined the term "vast right wing conspiracy", which could not have been more true.

What I think this means - The hard core base despises her, and the majority of the country despises the right wing base. People long for yesterday, the Clinton years, and they may think she & Bill can achieve that.

Obama - He's perceived as an outsider. He's young and energetic.

What I think this means - Politics has been so distasteful for so long, that an unknown is better than a known. Being unknown helped Clinton in '92. He appeals to younger people because they have returned to that '60's notion that the establishment is corrupt, and they're correct. He looks, behaves, and sounds different. That's a plus.

[BlueManDude]

1. McCain's emergence is merely the result of the worst field of candidates

that either of the major parties have put up in my lifetime. The GOP field is just an an amazingly bad group.

[TwilightGardener]

2. Your analysis of McCain is 100% from the media. Pure BS. I used to

believe it too. He has a few issues where he sides with Dems, but that's not why Republicans hate him. They hate him because he's totally all about John McCain, a nasty self-aggrandizing prick who will stab his party in the back to get media love.

[TwilightGardener]

3. Oh, and he doesn't speak in RW sound bites? Like "al Qaeda" and "cut and run"

and "white flag of surrender"? Please. You fucking watch too much Tweety.

[salinen]

5. The republican base is on suicide watch

McCain must have some qualities to accomplish that.

[TwilightGardener]

8. They think he'll stab conservatives in the back--they think he's never

respected them, and that he's just a Republican as a vehicle to personal glory. It has nothing to do with this particular stand or that particular stand. Lots of Senate Republicans have deviated from the script at some point or another and sided with Dems. They see McCain as inherently disloyal for other reasons.

[salinen]

4. Yes, mostly perception.

btw, I don't have TV, so I miss a considerable amount of spew.

[TwilightGardener]

7. It's very important for Democrats to fight the analysis that you've offered

as truth in your post, because first of all, it's NOT the truth--he hasn't been "kind" to Democrats, he called us unpatriotic for not supporting the war, and when he drafts legislation with Dem Senators, it's to triangulate for a Presidential run. Notice that he's doing an end-run now around his OWN campaign-finance reform initiatives with the same people that produced the Swift-Boat ads against Kerry--he's also in bed with many, many lobbyists who have given him a SHITLOAD of money over the years. There is nothing especially spectacular about his legislative career, really. He's not a leader in the Senate, either. Second, we need to get Indies and moderate Repubs on OUR side, and that's more of an uphill battle with Hillary, so it's important to resist spreading the meme that Mr. "Democrat Party" is friendly to us.

[Lint Head]

6. The Republican philosophy is bankrupt and dangerous.

Every vote they make kills somebody. Examples are lack of health care, going to war, investigating crime in the White House, Katrina, feeding and housing the poor and elderly,etc. :dem:

[salinen]

9. The suffering they cause

and the pleasure they derive from that suffering is sickening.

[1corona4u]

10. Yeah, in this unstable world,

it's so much better to just go with the unknown...:sarcasm: