McCain melts down in Michigan pullout

[questionmark]

McCain melts down in Michigan pullout

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- What profiteth John McCain if his vice presidential candidate wins her debate but he gives up on Michigan?

The McCain campaign's decision to give up the fight in Michigan is one of the stupidest tactical decisions made in this presidential campaign. Only Al Gore's refusal to let President Bill Clinton campaign for him in key states eight years ago even approaches it. If Sen. McCain, R-Ariz., loses, it is likely to rank alongside his failure in the first presidential debate as one of the two decisive turning points in the campaign.

For McCain must have Michigan. With 17 Electoral College votes, it is one of the key prizes in the Midwest, and its influence extends into its neighboring states, too.

To win, McCain must hold on to Florida and Ohio -- two states where he was looking strong until his meltdown of the past few weeks, and where he is now struggling to run neck-and-neck.

For Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., the Democratic presidential nominee, to win, he must take Pennsylvania and Michigan. If McCain can win either Michigan or Pennsylvania, he wins the presidency. It's as simple as that.

Pennsylvania has voted Democratic in every presidential election for the past 20 years. Obama was dangerously weak there until the recent turnaround in his fortunes. Now he looks close to having a lock on the place. And McCain has just handed him Michigan on a platter.

There is the strong hint of panic and meltdown about the McCain camp's public ceding of Michigan. The McCain campaign in the state was not consulted about it in advance -- an absurd decision that from his Navy background alone McCain never should have countenanced. The staff work involved was obviously superficial, hasty and emotion-driven.

All of McCain's woes are self-inflicted. His debate preparation team and strategy over the past few weeks have proved disastrous. He still hasn't begun to put together an economic crisis message and measures package that matches up to the gravity of the situation. The stunt of flying back to Washington to help the bailout measure go through Congress wasn't backed by any substantive and credible policy changes.

Obama is equally complacent and feckless on the economic crisis, but his party hasn't been running the federal government for the past eight years and it wasn't responsible for the policies that led to the financial catastrophe.

Also, McCain and his inner circle completely blew it in their handling of Gov. Sarah Palin. They let themselves get spooked by the relentless attacks and ridicule she received from the mainstream media and offered her up as a sacrificial lamb to hostile liberal cross-examiners like Charles Gibson and Katie Couric.

The McCain team should have ignored the inherently hostile liberal television news networks completely and simply had Palin deliver one knockout speech after another, emphasizing her blue-collar, working-mom appeal in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Florida and Ohio. They had the perfect wordsmith in Matthew Scully, the conservative speechwriter who helped her craft her great speech to the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., that wowed 40 million viewers. Instead, they bought into the Beltway Insiders' Conventional Wisdom and tried to turn Palin into as useless a mediocrity as they were themselves.

Full story, source: UPI

[SoCrazes]

Here is a good question that could produce a CT: Do you think the pubs are purposely going to let this election go and let the Dems pick up a mess that lies before us? It could be a good ploy in garnering a lock for the pubs in 2012.

[questionmark]

Here is a good question that could produce a CT: Do you think the pubs are purposely going to let this election go and let the Dems pick up a mess that lies before us? It could be a good ploy in garnering a lock for the pubs in 2012.

Hmmm... If they are smart that could be... now, from my experience only a minority of politicians are smart.

[BlindMessiah]

Hmmm... If they are smart that could be... now, from my experience only a minority of politicians are smart.

And they're always b*******.

[Guardsman Bass]

Here is a good question that could produce a CT: Do you think the pubs are purposely going to let this election go and let the Dems pick up a mess that lies before us? It could be a good ploy in garnering a lock for the pubs in 2012.

I doubt it. That would take a level of organization and conformism in thought and action which doesn't match even the Republican Party, particularly since a lot can happen in 4 years when you get a President who has a clear majority in both Houses of Congress (witness Bush).

[Whangarei]

Having Obama walk into this would seem like a racists dream in a lot of ways. Hand the black president the worst shreds of the country and if he fails to restore it to its Clinton Era dream, then its...well we tried that once and it didn't work. I've read places that McCain doesn't really want to win the election and picked Palin because he knew he'd lose for it. Maybe this is all about getting Palin on the stage for the future. She does seem popular. And frankly, its really coming across that its Palin and Obama. If she runs against him in 4 years, she's a known name and if Obama can't pull it together she might be a shoo in. Except I think Obama is going to blow everyone away.

Edited October 5, 2008 by Whangarei

[SoCrazes]

Having Obama walk into this would seem like a racists dream in a lot of ways. Hand the black president the worst shreds of the country and if he fails to restore it to its Clinton Era dream, then its...well we tried that once and it didn't work. I've read places that McCain doesn't really want to win the election and picked Palin because he knew he'd lose for it. Maybe this is all about getting Palin on the stage for the future. She does seem popular. And frankly, its really coming across that its Palin and Obama. If she runs against him in 4 years, she's a known name and if Obama can't pull it together she might be a shoo in. Except I think Obama is going to blow everyone away.

I pray and hope that whoever gets in will, not blow everyone away (I read your other post with a poll), but will turn this country around economically and morally in a civic manner. Bring back the Constitution as the supreme law of the land!!!

[wolfieboy]

I pray and hope that whoever gets in will, not blow everyone away (I read your other post with a poll), but will turn this country around economically and morally in a civic manner. Bring back the Constitution as the supreme law of the land!!!

huh, that scrap of paper so many call our high adviser to the ways of old. that tattered flag of a banner to liberty and justice for all. that piece of paper. good luck it was at the bottom of the waste can years ago

[Whangarei]

You actually thought I meant nuke everyone?? The other poll was in jest. OMG

[Leonardo]

Here is a good question that could produce a CT: Do you think the pubs are purposely going to let this election go and let the Dems pick up a mess that lies before us? It could be a good ploy in garnering a lock for the pubs in 2012.

I agree with Guardsman, plus the expectations will be so low (if what I have read on here lately is anything to go by) that any improvement by the incumbent and their Party will be magnified in the public's perception. If the Republicans have this strategy in mind (and I don't think they do) it is extremely risky.

[Belle.]

Here is a good question that could produce a CT: Do you think the pubs are purposely going to let this election go and let the Dems pick up a mess that lies before us? It could be a good ploy in garnering a lock for the pubs in 2012.

I did think here in Australia before the last election that the win could be a poisoned chalice.

Win this time - preside over a shocking economic downturn and the other side will be cemented in for a long time after that.

Whether they would purposely lose - I don't think so. So many personal egos involved, propelling them to try and win, no matter what.

[SoCrazes]

You actually thought I meant nuke everyone?? The other poll was in jest. OMG

Sorry, just making sure. Read the poll immediately before your post here. I didn't think you were serious but wasn't 100% sure.

[SoCrazes]

huh, that scrap of paper so many call our high adviser to the ways of old. that tattered flag of a banner to liberty and justice for all. that piece of paper. good luck it was at the bottom of the waste can years ago

I'm sorry to hear you think that way. There are many people that still believe the Constitution is the supreme law of the land. Soldiers die believing in it.