What hurt McCain?

[JimB.]

What hurt McCain?

1. George Bush

2. The Economy

Voters will vote their pocketbooks when the economy is in the crapper. The republicans are in the White house, therefore the Republican Party was held to blame (right or wrong).

IMO, Sarah Palin had very little to do with it. I thought she was a very courageous choice for McCain. I saw more of her on the campaign trail than I did Sen. Biden, & she is much more charismatic and engaging than he is.

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

1. George Bush

2. The Economy

Voters will vote their pocketbooks when the economy is in the crapper. The republicans are in the White house, therefore the Republican Party was held to blame (right or wrong).

IMO, Sarah Palin had very little to do with it. I thought she was a very courageous choice for McCain. I saw more of her on the campaign trail than I did Sen. Biden, & she is much more charismatic and engaging than he is.

Agree with 1 & 2 but Palin definately hurt. She solidified voters that were NEVER going to vote for Obama anyway but she scared away many independent moderates.

As to Palin being a "courageous choice" I think we'll eventually find that McCain never wanted her and IMO it was evident.

Negative adds have always been around. I think McCain's campaign went negative and kept it up. Obama responded negatively (which is typical). I can't see how comparing bush to McCain is negative in the least.

Lastly I will say that I would bet McCain was not on board with the negativity as well. I think he was "played" by his party and I think that is terribly sad.

 

[50 years Too!]

I'm a democrat. I do vote across party lines. I voted for our republican senate incumbent.
I would have voted for McCain had he chosen Romney or another experienced VP choice.

 

[SorcererDonald16]

I think the problem with McCain is that too much reaching across the aisle made him uncomfortable with conservative values and he did not always embrace those principles comfortably. Mitt Romney was a great spokesman for conservativism. I think that Mitt was sabotaged by Huckabee, who seemed to have an innate dislike for Romney, and in a sense, was almost in collusion with McCain. Moderate democrats and independents crossed over and voted for McCain. They selected our nominee and then abandoned him in the general election. I didn't get excited about McCain until Palin joined the ticket, and she seemed to bring out his conservative best. And you are right. McCain is not a great speaker.

I couldn't agree with you more. This is exactly what I believe as well. Look no further than the West VA caucuses to see the underhanded dealings between the McCain and Huckabee camps to take down Romney.

 

[What the Heck]

His own party came out against him at the end, shamed by the level of the lowness it was sinking to. Everyone does some negativity but never ever in my life have I seen it go to this level or have their own turning against them, which happened to McCain. They riled up hatred and fear with people shouting, "kill him" even McCain seemed to be shocked towards the end. It was horrible and dangerous. It went way beyond negative campaigning to the lowest level.

Ummm, the people yelling "kill him" didn't happen, according to the Secret Service who investigates any and all threats to the President or a Presidential candidate. And they do prosecute them.

His own party didn't come out against him, "shamed by the level of lowness it was sinking too". I have no idea where you got that, would love to see where you are getting it from.

 

[disney4us2002]

Blind hatred of Bush. Nothing else made much difference. People would've voted for any non Republican.

 

[c4a]

For me, I was not deciding between McCain & Obama-deciding factor was do I throw a vote to a guy who might have a chance (McCain) or just throw my vote away on someone who has no chance (Nadar or Barr)? Palin definately did not help matters. Saw her as a bid on Alaska oil (trying to go over the Native Tribes in the National Forest Area who are against the drilling- respect of land.) McCain should have went with the Lt.Govenor. if that was his game.
Obama's views, policies, lack of experience...he was never a choice for me.

As for negative ads-perhaps it is because Kentucky is Rep., mainly-we were bombarded by Probama ads!!! Perhaps, it had to do with who the targeted audience was (minds they were trying to change?) Granted, many were not from Obama himself-rather, they were individual groups running pro-ads for him. Even if I hadn't been against his views-the ads turned me against him.

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

For me, I was not deciding between McCain & Obama-deciding factor was do I throw a vote to a guy who might have a chance (McCain) or just throw my vote away on someone who has no chance (Nadar or Barr)? Palin definately did not help matters. Saw her as a bid on Alaska oil (trying to go over the Native Tribes in the National Forest Area who are against the drilling- respect of land.) McCain should have went with the Lt.Govenor. if that was his game.
Obama's views, policies, lack of experience...he was never a choice for me.

As for negative ads-perhaps it is because Kentucky is Rep., mainly-we were bombarded by Probama ads!!! Perhaps, it had to do with who the targeted audience was (minds they were trying to change?) Granted, many were not from Obama himself-rather, they were individual groups running pro-ads for him. Even if I hadn't been against his views-the ads turned me against him.

I don't understand? Non negative, self promoting ads turned you off? What should he have done?

 

[Dolce27]

I haven't read this thread b/c I'm sure I'll get seriously ticked off if I did - but it's not because of Sarah Palin. She was the one that excited me and helped me to be at ease with my vote for McCain and all conservatives, that I’m hearing about, agree. You should hear how many conservatives are currently calling into talk shows and what not pissed that they're attempting to use her as the scapegoat for McCain losing. The conservatives - which is the entire base of the Republican party - wasn't keen on McCain. He's way too liberal for them. Sarah helped McCain to do as well as he did - not hindered him. It would have been a landslide for Obama had Palin not been on McCain's ticket but with her on it turned into a close match.

I think what hurt McCain was 1) people buying the lies that he was Bush III (when I'm finding more proof that Obama is Bush III) 2) McCan not attacking Obama enough. Despite popular liberal belief - McCain really wasn't that negative on Obama. I've done serious research on Obama. The man is scum. He's got the past to prove it. If McCain seriously would have gone negative on Obama it would be McCain we'd be swearing in to office in Jan 2009 and not Obama. McCain didn’t defend himself very well from the outright lies Obama was saying about him and McCain didn’t attack hard enough. The simple fact is: Because of this country’s current disapproval rating of Bush, McCain had a tough road for an election and he didn’t fight his battles right in order to achieve a victory. You have him and his campaign in order to blame (or thank for that depending which side you’re on). The only reason he did as well as he did is because he selected Palin as his VP and she stirred up most of the conservative base in his favor.

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

I haven't read this thread b/c I'm sure I'll get seriously ticked off if I did - but it's not because of Sarah Palin. She was the one that excited me and helped me to be at ease with my vote for McCain and all conservatives, that I’m hearing about, agree. You should hear how many conservatives are currently calling into talk shows and what not pissed that they're attempting to use her as the scapegoat for McCain losing. The conservatives - which is the entire base of the Republican party - wasn't keen on McCain. He's way too liberal for them. Sarah helped McCain to do as well as he did - not hindered him. It would have been a landslide for Obama had Palin not been on McCain's ticket but with her on it turned into a close match.

I think what hurt McCain was 1) people buying the lies that he was Bush III (when I'm finding more proof that Obama is Bush III) 2) McCan not attacking Obama enough. Despite popular liberal belief - McCain really wasn't that negative on Obama. I've done serious research on Obama. The man is scum. He's got the past to prove it. If McCain seriously would have gone negative on Obama it would be McCain we'd be swearing in to office in Jan 2009 and not Obama. McCain didn’t defend himself very well from the outright lies Obama was saying about him and McCain didn’t attack hard enough. The simple fact is: Because of this country’s current disapproval rating of Bush, McCain had a tough road for an election and he didn’t fight his battles right in order to achieve a victory. You have him and his campaign in order to blame (or thank for that depending which side you’re on). The only reason he did as well as he did is because he selected Palin as his VP and she stirred up most of the conservative base in his favor.

Now that's funny! You go Caribou Barbie!

 

[Dolce27]

Now that's funny! You go Caribou Barbie!

What I'm finding to be "funny" is that the most sexist people I'm meeting/reading/seeing tend to be liberal women. I've been quite shocked about this - but maybe I shouldn't be.

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

What I'm finding to be "funny" is that the most sexist people I'm meeting/reading/seeing tend to be liberal women. I've been quite shocked about this - but maybe I shouldn't be.

Sexist? Most people (republicans) I know would have been thrilled with Kay Baily Hutchinson or Olympia Dukakis or a multitude of others but the republican party, and notice I didn't say John McCain, picked a dimwit who happens to be so far right she walks with a limp. The dems would have rallied behind Hillary (my choice) had not a better alternative in the minds of the majority presented itself.

John McCain is a good man but Sarah Palin only damaged his Presidency chances.

 

[mmcguire]

I think it was people being sick of what the Republican party has turned into, using Bush's former campain people, Palin's unprofessionalism, and McCain's appearing to be a thinly-veiled anger ball.

He's got some serious anger management issues, and we don't need another loose cannon in the White House. I could see it in the debates, the fake smiles while he was grinding his teeth down to nubs in anger. People like that scare me.

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

I think it was people being sick of what the Republican party has turned into, Palin's "folksy" unprofessionalism, and McCain's being a thinly-veiled anger ball.

He's got some serious anger management issues, and we don't need another loose cannon in the White House. I could see it in the debates, the fake smiles while he was grinding his teeth down to nubs in anger. People like that scare me.

I agree with the gist of your comments but I reiterate that I think McCain was angry at the situation he found himself in in his own canidancy...Not calling the shots. Notthat he doesn't have anger issues but I don't think it was truly Obama he was angry with during this campaign.

 

[Lanshark]

The financial crisis
Bush
Palin

 

[Dolce27]

Sexist? Most people (republicans) I know would have been thrilled with Kay Baily Hutchinson or Olympia Dukakis or a multitude of others but the republican party, and notice I didn't say John McCain, picked a dimwit who happens to be so far right she walks with a limp. The dems would have rallied behind Hillary (my choice) had not a better alternative in the minds of the majority presented itself.

John McCain is a good man but Sarah Palin only damaged his Presidency chances.

Many people disagree with you. I've been listening to those many people for two days now as they're getting quite vocal in their outrage of this vicious attack on Palin. Sarah was picked for the conservative base - which she did rile up and which McCain, being too liberal for - could never get. Sarah was actually an excellent candidate. But in order to see that you had to get past the lies and smears about her that the Obama campaign and the liberal media spewed. She's done a lot of good for her state and she's actually done a lot of good for our country as a whole in regards to oil and our country will reap the benefits from it for years. (If you want proof of that, go look in past conservative threads for an article that I posted that the mainstream media refused to run with showing how Sarah thwarted both Iran and Russia and helped out America. I don't recall which Conserv thread I posted that on - we keep going through our threads too darn fast. We're a talkative bunch) But the liberal media would never acknowledge what good she's done. Instead they got you guys riled up with lies about things such as who's baby Trig was and if she banned books (which she didn't) and wants to teach creationism in the classroom (which she doesn't).

But I know what the ultimate sin of hers is for you, as a liberal, that will keep you from actually acknowledging what a great candidate she was (and she’s even a stronger candidate than Barack Obama – that’s why his campaign viciously attacked her so hard in order to discredit her). Her sin is that she’s pro-life and you as a liberal can’t tolerate someone who thinks that a woman shouldn’t murder a baby. You guys abhor her because she didn’t abort Trig, a downs syndrome baby. You guys think that a baby such as Trig is a punishment – there’s been an entire thread on the DIS stating just that. That’s her ultimate sin. She believe that life begins at conception and she believes that life should have the right to live and not be aborted just because its mother wanted to have a little bit of fun but didn’t want to take responsibility of the consequences.

 

[Dolce27]

I think it was people being sick of what the Republican party has turned into, using Bush's former campain people, Palin's unprofessionalism, and McCain's appearing to be a thinly-veiled anger ball.

He's got some serious anger management issues, and we don't need another loose cannon in the White House. I could see it in the debates, the fake smiles while he was grinding his teeth down to nubs in anger. People like that scare me.

Actually, Obama was the one with anger issues this election. I kept looking out for McCain infamous anger but never saw it. I saw Obama riled up plenty of times and then there’s the time he had Lieberman up against the wall. I'd say Obama is the loose cannon this election.

 

[TLSnell1981]

The economy and BO's massive $$$$$$. He who has the most money wins.

I read today that 60% said Palin was a factor in their vote. I think it was something like 58% to 42% in favor of the Gov.

 

[Bobbles]

Actually, Obama was the one with anger issues this election. I kept looking out for McCain infamous anger but never saw it. I saw Obama riled up plenty of times and then there’s the time he had Lieberman up against the wall. I'd say Obama is the loose cannon this election.

WOW! Obama was a "loose cannon"? What in the world were you watching? Some video from the ultra right wing that also produces documentaries about how the Clinton's killed people?

 

[Geoff_M]

However, the sheer volume of ads doesn't prove that any of them were negative.

Amazing... I provide seven separate examples of fact-checked false negative anti-McCain ads aired by the Obama campaign and the UAW and the response is "Negative ads? I don't see any negative ads!" and that McCain is somehow responsible for things written by some idiot "supporters" (I suppose Obama should also be held responsible for the rumors of incest in the Palin family by that logic).