McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

goatherd — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 03:48:57 GMT

Fineman: After your Boo boo with the Hillary / Obama prediction, now you want to jump onto Mccain's bandwagaon.

Hillary was already impressively presidential for 8 years in the white house. Its nothing new for her

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

lb078 — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 09:04:48 GMT

i hope this isn't howard's idea of talking up somone. this article was written like he was having his teeth pulled. and could you please write about mccains age at least one more time. the other 200 times haven't really sunk in yet.

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

jthies — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:40:22 GMT

Howard, I listen to the speech as well, and what came across to me was how old he is. He looked old, he sounded old, and further more, looked a little scary. He looked like my Dad right before he died (and by the way he died at 73). I totally did not hear him because my mind was focused on how old he looked. I don't want to make age an issue, but unfortunately it will be. His campaign needs to something about how he looks otherwise it will be a huge issue in the fall.

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

LJ on Capital Hill — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:57:41 GMT

Last night John McCain sounded like - - Barak Obama.

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

old scout — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 16:30:31 GMT

Howard describes McCain's "zest for battle" and his soldier's heart. He's proud of the war in Iraq. He wants to lower taxes and regulation even as we plunge into economic recession and massive war induced defecits. Howard says all this is presidential? Perish the thought! This is callous brash right wing neo-ciobservative ideology warmed over and coming from a man who has not demonstrated any particular wisdom at any time in his political career. Even in his battles against corporate influence he has alienated his colleagues, and he has sent mixed messages to the public by summoning lobbyists to run his campaign. He is a brave man and was a war hero. But that does not equate to either wisdom or leadership. Much more than courage is required to be a wise leader. He will simply continue down the the disastrous blind alley that the Bush administration has taken the country into. Win the hearts and minds of Islam? How? By occupying Iraq until its corrupt and incompetent leadership becomes honest and effective? By trying to control Iraqi oil? By cow-towing to the Armageddon preachers like Hagee who see Islam as the source of evil and Jews as the cannon fodder who will pay with their lives so that Christians can experience the rapture? It is devoutly to be hoped that McCain loses. If only the Democrats do not find a way to self-destruct.

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

mexed — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:00:58 GMT

Newsweek opinion makers? You need to go back to school or open your mind a little more or something. Your efforts to kill ovf the value of voters in the remaining states by suggesting Hillary should give up didn't pay off. Now you are on the McCain trail? How about reporting and not offering so many opinions. You may be more successful. I see little in John McCain that is presedential in this moment of history. He would have better served as president after Bill Clinton. He and the Republican party have nothing to offer the USA that won't take it backwards and even further into debt. John McCain is an honorable man and a good legislator. But he is not a visionary. He's a good Republican if not as right wing as some would like. And what is "impresively presidential"? Is it protocol? Is it the way you stand? Is it looking into a leaders eyes and seeing how much they love you? Please define your terms because it is clear that not knowing your definition others can only go on what is thier personal definition. John McCain is a good and honorable grunt but not presidential.

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

old scout — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:35:29 GMT

Envision a stage with McCain, Clinton, and Obama. Each is asked to speak for five minutes about their general vision for leading this country. Then tell me who is presidential. Is it Poppa Munster McCain, "my friends?" Is it give 'em hell Hillary with her same old same old message about experience? Or is it Obama who asks us to come together, to hope for the future, to care about each other and to believe we can heal this country and lead the world again? The bottom line is simple. McCain and Clinton are voices of the past. Obama is the voice of the future. The young people hear him, independents hear him, some disaffected Republicans hear him. The Democratic party had better hear him if it wishes to rescucitate itself.

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

johng62 — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:45:17 GMT

I salute!

As a conservative Republican, I have had serious disagreements with John McCain for years. However, he is far preferable to either Democrat. Both Clinton and Obama advocate a toxic brew of higher taxes, higher domestic spending, trade protectionism, etc.

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

JohnPolitico — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:46:15 GMT

John McCain for President! A true hero with MILITARY and POLITICAL experience.

WE NEED "BOTH" THIS TIME AROUND!!!

As a Moderate Independent John's initial MAVERICK APPEAL is what grabbed me and ultimately caused me to vote for him in my state's primary. I never gave up on him even though the neocon base REFUSED to give him the time of day from day one he threw his name in the hat for the presidency. Obviously, things have change since then. Now that he has wrapped up the Republican nomination, all of a sudden, the neocons are coming to his support and endorsing him. Hmmm ... I wonder why?

John, in my humble opinion, it would be a HUGE MISTAKE for you to sell your soul now to the GOP establishment. Where was this support or these endorsements just a few months ago when you had to borrow "DESPERATE" money just to stay in the race?

John, please don't forget who got you to this point: Moderate Conservatives: Independents and Republicans alike.

If I had the honor of being part of your staff or one of your advisors, I would be pleading with you to stay as far away as you can from the Bush's. Personally, I think that G.W. Bush has gotten a raw deal from the general masses and liberal media, but that's neither here nor there anymore. The bottom line is G.W.'s poll rankings speak for the masses.

The liberal media is going try to paint you as just another George W. Bush or extension thereof. MIDDLE AMERICA IS CRYING OUT FOR CHANGE! It's time to start talking more about the ECONOMY and less and less about the war. Trust me! Even most Republicans are tired of hearing about the war. Now I know John's a realist; he takes the pragmatic approach to just about everything. AND I LIKE THAT! As a former POW, he would like nothing more than to start bringing home the troops ASAP. Nonetheless, contrary to the liberal media's spin--IT'S NOT THAT EASY. John, whether he--OR WE--like it or not, knows that we're going to be in Iraq for awhile mopping up the mess. Get used to it people!

But with that said ... I still think that it would be in John's BEST INTEREST to tone down the war rhetoric. You got my vote John. But remember! The key is to appeal to Middle America--not just the base!

John McCain for President! A true hero with MILITARY and POLITICAL experience.

WE NEED "BOTH" THIS TIME AROUND!!!

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

miamiman — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:46:49 GMT

You are right mr. Fineman. Of all the present candidates it is Mccain who inspires the steadiest confidence. neither of the democratic candidates can match his subdued confidence and experience in the political arena and the arena of life in it's harshest conditions.

His challenge to the dem candidates is real. they can promise whatever but the realities of the world and the parameters in which we have to operate is limited for any human being so they must be taken into account. A practical realistic approach. not a blue sky promise of a new sunny day. if we wanted that we could just book two weeks in disneyworld,and guess what? it rains there quite often.

He sounds presidential and at this point he has my vote and the votes of many others who see no alternative on the horizon.

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

Datkins — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:02:02 GMT

Fineman: after your extreme and incorrect punditry these last two months of Hillary bashing, along with the other macho boys on MSNBC, you have the gall to now suggest that Lazarus will win in the Fall borders on the preposterous.

Do you really think this guy can stand in the well and debate either Hillary or Obama? This man doesn’t even have the respect of his party. Come on Howie, get over it!

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

johnbgoodrick — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:10:06 GMT

What a happy time. Spring is just around the corner and the sun is shining. To make a great day perfect, Hillary kept her hopes alive and will make McCain’s road easier. The only way Hillary can win the nomination (and I hope she does) is to cheat the African-Americans and Obama by altering the rules concerning Florida and Michigan or using the super-delegates to thwart the will of the majority of voters in the democratic primaries. For years the African Americans have been taken for granted by the democrats as surely as if they were owned by that party. (Perhaps the African Americans should look at the disaster that the alliance with the democratic party has brought to the labor movement.) No one has ever gone wrong underestimating the ethics of the Clintons or their selfishness. They are perfectly prepared to torpedo their party for their personal ambition. Is she continues in her efforts she will alienate half the democratic party as she has already alienated half the American population.

I support McCain and do not really want to see him defeat Obama. But to watch him defeat Hillary would be a great pleasure and good for my country.

I would like to suggest that everyone reading these blogs take the time to make a small contribution to the candidate of their choice and buy back American democracy. There is a simple form to do this at McCain.com.

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

mlynchva — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 19:20:40 GMT

Bush says "We need a leader who can make tough decisions" referring to McCain.

That kind of goes without saying given that we are voting for the President of the US, all of them should be able to make tough decisions.

I want a leader who makes GOOD decisions! And it certainly wasn't you, and I don't see it in McCain.

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

mlbuie — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 20:15:12 GMT

Let me say first i pal to vote for Obama, and would support Hillary if she wins (if she doesn't do something crazy). That being said, I watched McCain on TV while buying a takeout lunch at a resturant, today. I couldn't hear WHAT he was saying (the volume was down), but he DID look presidential in his demeanor.

It is what it is. Stop bashing this report for what he sees and thinks. His assessments sound honest to me.

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

chillfour@yahoo.com — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 20:20:40 GMT

Sorry but McCain is not the least bit presidential. He is old and looks it and he doesn't have the brain cells needed to lead this country out of the mess that G Bush has made of everything. McCain can not win over either of the top democratic candidates. We need brains and integrity in the next president, not someone who sold their soul to Bush and the neocons so he could be the republican nominee.

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

heraldh — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 20:39:35 GMT

Early commentary misses the point: The only agenda that means anything is winning the war on terror, or at least, keeping outside the US. The only one who has pledged to do this McCain. He was not my first choice but he beats the Dems, any candidate, all hollow. They will sell us out to radical muslim al Queda and all therest of theagenda will be meanless. Wake up America to the real and only issue.

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

crescentdave — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 20:48:47 GMT

Four more years of Bush policies. McCain supported the Iraqi war and still supports the Iraqi occupation. Does he have a plan to "get out?" Of course not. Howard Fineman knows this-he just doesn't think it important enough to mention. McCain, running against Bush, described the tax cuts Bush proposed as unfair to the middle class. Now he support them. He supports even more deregulation of the sort which directly led to the subprime crisis. Does McCain have a plan to deal with the economic woes of the US? Of course not. Howard Fineman knows this-he just doesn't think it important enough to mention. McCain talks about the people being fed up with the partisan politics and how it's got to change. The administration he voted with, the administration he worked with, controlling the executive, legislative and judicial branches ... you know, that crew ... is what the American people are fed up with and McCain, of course, is it's standard-bearer. Howard Fineman knows this-he just doesn't think it important enough to mention.

Let's recap: McCain has no plan for disengaging from Iraq, has no plan to address our economic woes and has no plan to address our health care crisis, save this: cut taxes and encourage even more competition. He wants everyone to forget this was and is George Bush's failed strategy. Howard Fineman knows this-he just doesn't think it important enough to mention. Why? Good question.

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

tiredoflibs — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 22:48:21 GMT

Good job Howard. I was impressed with both McCain's and Senator Huckabee's speech and hope that Huck is brought in as VP. That would give us a younger backup although not as young as Obama. It does make me wonder how many fear a draft just as I did when I was growing up. Certainly would sway a persons viewpoint. Hillery might make the better candidate of the two but I tire of their stage performances and desire to become elected for self serving asperations. Yes we need change, not empty promises. Basing a persons ability because they're older is just drawing at straws. We need someone who has been around the block and knows what's happening. All three candidates will be locked into this struggle from other avenues like the UN, Congress and the Senate. In my mind, McCain has enough moxey to keep the press on terroism and bring other issues like the economy and education to the mainstream for changes. We don't need another Kennedy who struggled with the Bay of Pig's but was able to learn before the Cubian missle crisis. But maybe Obama could learn on the job just like Kennedy had to. Both Kennedy and Obama appealed to the masses for change. Most notable thing that Kennedy did was make his statement about putting man on the moon before the end of the decade.

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

Starfarer — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 23:21:06 GMT

I disagree with McCain on a lot of issues, but I respect him. I hope he brings in Mark Sanford as his running mate. McCain can bring in the independents and moderates, and may make a few very blue states competitive. Mark Sanford appeals to the conservative and libertarian wings of the party. After the disaster of Bush's fake conservatism, the GOP will need all the support it can get.

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

timeforrealchange — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 01:13:44 GMT

Did no one else notice that McCain was reading every word off of the prompter in his 'presidential' acceptance speech? I thought Huckabee seemed more "presidential" than McCain, and I'm a liberal Democrat who wants to see Obama in the White House. Perhaps we need to redefine what "presidential" means, especially in regard to Repubs. Let's see--Reagan, Alzheimers that sure didn't start after he left office; Bush Sr., a snoozer; Bush Jr., borderline IQ that he managed to mask slightly only when he had Rove et al managing him. Let's not forget Dan Quayle, Mr. Potatoe Head. For God's sake, America--wake UP!!!! We don't need another senile Republican administration. God knows the Democrats will have enough on their plate just trying to clean up the mess that's left us--

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

lillea — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 04:18:52 GMT

John McCain's slogan should be "Yes, we can." He is confident that we Can win in Iraq and our soldiers will come home proud and victorious.

McCain is Hope for the US and our allys. His "stick-to-it-ous" attitude can Change the world. His experience can give the US the Solutions we need for the dip in the economy.

He has it all.

Obama and Clinton's slogan should be "We give up" or "No we can't"

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

ruralamerica — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 06:59:45 GMT

It is disheartening to read that some of us are so adamant about our current effort of bearing down in Iraq. Did we commit our lives and what it takes in all our past heroics to preserving liberty and democracy. Where would peace and stability of our world be if we had not? Some of us are so detached from the rest of humankind that we take for granted the peace and quite we now enjoy. Think about the rest of the people out there who are deprived of the same. Would liberty and democracy mean much if one can not peacefully enjoy the sanctuary of one's home. Try living next door to someone who would greet when you meet and blow you up on instinct.

Don't care? We ought to start caring, if not, armageddon will not be far behind.

Exit strategy? War plans for tyrannies and despotism of the past will not apply to war against fanatic ideologies.

Economy, health, education, and all other issues left and right delight on fighting about would really not mean much if our basic way of life is jeopardized. When we accept that preserving our way of life is the priority, who is the best qualified to sit in the White House?

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

Karenn1 — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 12:28:29 GMT

Now is the time to sell the pig with lipstick. As orders from Corp.bosses. Bush passed the Arab sword to McCain. More war more DEAD AMERICA KIDS , because this guy is train to drop bombs,like 1000 lbs flowen on 500lb carrieing planes. This guy is tough.Plus he unstands Bush. Pus who cares how maney troops are killed the media doe not.

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

Joanne in Indy — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 14:09:05 GMT

Bravo, Mr. Fineman. You see him as I see him.

As a Democrat, I was an early supporter of Obama. I love his vision if not all his ideas. However, McCain has shown his willingness to reach across the aisle and be a real uniter. He is not a Bush-like Republican. I like that he wants to get out of Iraq the right way, his views on NAFTA and free trade in general. He has proven leadership and is not afraid to stand by unpopular ideas. He has my vote.

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

anothertompaine — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 14:16:44 GMT

I listened to McCain's speech with both pride and detachment. Pride in the fact that a man who seems so bound by honor might actually be our President, and detachment because I wanted to really listen to the content of what he said.

The content of his speech had some good, common sense points that should be good counter-points to many of the Democratic positions. Hopefully, he'll refine these messages more. The Democratic candidates altrernately talk about raising taxes on corporations and keeping jobs here. The contrast between these two positions is so stark that it should be obvious to any voter that you can't do both.

Hopefully, McCain will stress the fact that we're in Iraq and move the discussion away from how we got there. I'm sure that he doesn't want to badmoutn Bush too much, but he can also stress how early and vocal he was against the 'Rumsfeld' strategy. Perhaps if the SecDef had listened to some military people and put more boots onnthe ground things would be wrapped up by now.

Although I, and many others, think that he was the worst modern President, it's pretty easy to make a case that LBJ was the most successful president of the last fifty years. That's because he knew how the Senate worked and was able to get legislation passed. With McCain's demonstrated ability to reach across the aisle sponsoring major (and sometimes unpopular) legislation, he has the potential to be as successful. The difference will be that McCain will be driven by what he feels is best for the country and not by a desire to pander to the masses.

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

b56sigma — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 14:46:13 GMT

If Senator McCain is elected President, he will be the most vetted President in our history. It is safe to assume that anyone who survived several years of physical and psychological torture - and didn't break - would be calm and effective in a crisis situation in the Oval Office. He also knows first hand what happens when you deploy troops in danger-close incidents in foreign countries. Senator McCain is the right choice to be the next President. Plus he will have survived MSM scrutiny that would make lesser men take the bait and react like the squabbling sideshow we currently have with the Democrats. The country has experienced a hard skid to the right for the past several years. We shouldn't correct with a hard skid to the left. Senator McCain has the maturity and the judgment to bring the nation back to the center.

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

djd1992 — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:04:49 GMT

If McCain runs against Obama, it wouldn't be the first time that a war hero, distrusted by the Republican right, ran against a smart liberal Democratic Senator from Illinois. Of course things could turn out differently. During that election cycle the unpopular President mired down in an unpopular war was Democrat Harry Truman; now it's the Republican George W. Bush. It has all the makings of a very interesting election!

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

peripatectic — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:52:43 GMT

No one is dealing with reality, including McCain. What does it mean to win in Iraq? We are installing a religious pro-Iranian government. The stablility we talk of will come after the Shiites are totally in control. Ahmadinajad can walk down the streets of Bagdad but Bush sneaks in and out. McCain had to walk around surrounded by miltiary with helicopters overhead.

Meanwhile the one place we can really help, Afganistan, is sinking. Military morale is low because of the number of tours and the increased violence. The drug culture is running rampant there. Somehow we've losst sight of our priorities.

All I see from McCann is posturing. He has never met a war he didn't like and will be dangerous when it comes to dealing with Iran even though we are supporting a pro-Iranian government in Iraq. It's all a crazy game.

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

jordy68 — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 17:18:46 GMT

Posted By: b56sigma (March 6, 2008 at 9:46 AM)

Give me a break "Senator Hot Head" has what it takes to remain calm? His experience has has helped him --ZERO Quote from John McCain "I don't believe it's going to be nearly the size and scope that it was in 1991." OOPS!

Again in this interview,

MATTHEWS: Are you one of those who holds up an optimistic view of the post-war scene? Do you believe that the people of Iraq or at least a large number of them will treat us as liberators?

MCCAIN: Absolutely. Absolutely.

OOPS!

And in March of 2003, on Hardball, predicting easy going in post-war Iraq:

McCain has been wrong from the start and is the wrong person to lead us now. Trying to hide your history of bad judbgement won't cut it McCain.

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

axtell1 — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 19:30:01 GMT

Writer JohnPolitico is the first I've seen in these political blogs these past months that presents a "moderate" political position. I'm of the opinion that the bulk of the American electorate is moderate, It'll be the candidate that can pull the most conservative leaning or liberal leaning moderates to their agenda that will obviously succeed in November. Past Democratic candidates and Senator Goldwater shot themselves in the foot with extreme liberal or conservative agendas.

Where the "war" is a major election issue two thoughts come to mind:

First - President Clinton has stated he had received the same WMD information President Bush was presented with. To call our President a lier only serves to feed our enemies. Also, the "war" was won when the Sadam Hussein's government was toppled from power.

Second - What we have now is a "police action" against a lawless religious fanaticism. Somehow America has to bring the Arab factions together for the betterment of all the Iraqi population. Obviously, with such severe religious difference dating back centuries this is going to be a long term task at best. (As I remember history it took the Allies something like five years to get West Germany to a stable society where Allied sympathizers weren't being assinasted.)

As for the Democratic contest my concern about Senator Obama is his membership in a church for twenty years that clearly espouses a black supremacy retoric. This is not the ideal philosophy to unite America. His words can say one thing but his actions say something else. Nevertheless, this Democratic Convention is going to break all previous convention viewership records. And whatever the outcome in June the resulting presidential campaigns will be bloody awful.

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

b56sigma — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 21:24:52 GMT

Jordy68: This sounds like Herr Olbermann's frothing Bavarian rant on MSNBC. After having served two plus years in Iraq, I think Senator McCain is well qualified to end the war. His comments at the outset of the war are pretty much in sync with what everyone thought on both sides of the aisle. The result of Bremer's mismanagement and the fact that the Iraqi Security forces were dismantled during de-Bathification makes all of the original optimistic supporters look weak - and there are thousands of them. History will show whether the invasion was proper or if we just put something that was going to happen anyway (the demise of Saddam and his cutthroat sons) on fast forward. I have to look at the full measure of the man, and not judge him by soundbites taken out of context from a network (MSNBC) so decidedly and unabashedly pro-Obama. The value of a John McCain is much greater than the sum total of the hysteria and confusion currently on the Democratic side. He appears to be much calmer and has a steadier hand by comparison.

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

dr doug — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 03:31:43 GMT

Let's see - Mc Cain wants to contiue this $12 billion dollar a month war and still cut taxes. He says nothing about the current economy which, like everything else in the Bush administration, i s in the toilet. But not to worry - he's not going to win anyway because he's Republican and,as everything shows, the country is fed up with Republican leadership. (Denny Hastert's staunch Republlican House seat was lost yesterday to a Democrat).

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

RavenMaven — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 06:17:03 GMT

I completely agree with axtell1's comments. By now, we as Americans should recognize partisan spin doctoring when we hear it, and as usual, these campaigns are full of it. I am particularly concerned about the massive swoon of support for Obama by the media and celebrities. Obama has been elevated to "Rock Star" status, but has not released his first song yet. Why are we supposed to think he could do anything remarkable? Because HE SAYS he can do something remarkable? That is a joke. My dog has better qualifications to be President than he does. He is a one term senator, who has spent half of his time as senator campaigning to be President. Didn't he WANT to be a Senator?He is not doing a very good job of it. Or was that all just to give some shred of credibility to run for president?Hmmm. In my view, if you have not been at the helm of large organization, governed a populated state, achieved very high ranking military status, or served several terms as an influential senator or cabinet member, you don't need to be running for President. Electing Obama would be akin to hiring some mid level manager from the marketing department at NBC to be the CEO of General Electric. No way he has the knowledge and experience to be successful, and if he was successful, it would be pure luck.

I am amazed at what the democratic party has put forward as presidential candidates over the past 30 years. Not one has been a seriously "presidential" candidate. Dukakis? Mondale? Kerry? ( perhaps the most presidential, but that isn't saying much) Clinton?( Was doing 'okay' until he decided to start bonking interns) Carter? I am actually waiting for a serious contender so that we can have a real issues based debate and use our intellect rather than our remote controls to choose a candidate. This isn't American Idol folks, we are choosing the leader of the free world here. The choice better not be based on how good a candidate looks on camera or how eloquently he/she speaks, without regard for the content of what is being said.

Voting for Change? Change from what? A secure country that has kept Al Qaeda in the middle east rather than over here blowing up shopping malls and baseball stadiums? A country that is steadfast in its mission to be the ambassador of freedom and liberty for all people throughout the world? A country that sees evil for what it is and knows from where it originates? A country founded on faith in God Almighty in whatever way He is worshiped? No thanks. I kind of like it the way it is.

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

Cerberus1 — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 09:03:26 GMT

Hmmm. The way the Dem's are tearing each other apart, McCain stands a reasonable chance to win this thing.

re: McCain Sounds Impressively Presidential

Cerberus1 — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 10:55:50 GMT

I believe Hillary will eventually lose to Barack for the nomination. With combined regular and super delegates he is up by 150 and has a lead of about 600,000 in the popular vote. If one takes the remaining contests- not counting Florida and Michigan for the moment- then it is about dead even for both of them in those races. The remaining states/territories of Pennsylvania, W. Virginia, Kentucky, Guam, and Puerto Rico favor her with about 225 regular delegates and 22.5 million in total population. The states of N. Carolina, Mississippi (voting today), Oregon, Montana, S. Dakota, and Indiana favor him with about 215 regular delegates and around 22 million in population. A tiny, slim edge for her but not enough to catch him if the other predicted numbers play out such as 50% of registered Dem voters turning out in each of their remaining states and each of them winning their remaining states by 8-12 points. Per these numbers she gains an extra 10 regular delegates. That's it. He'll still lead by about 140 Delegates and close to 600,000 in popular vote.

That leaves just Michigan and Florida. Currently she beat him by 300,000 votes in Florida and 38 delegates. She also got 330,000 popular votes and 73 regular delegates in Michigan whereas about 250,000 popular votes and 55 regular delegates are listed as "uncommitted". If she has a do-over in Florida and Michigan it won't matter. His name will be on ballots and he can campaign. Of the 1.7 million who voted in Florida lets say Hillary gets 55% to his 45%. That means she would gain about 260,000 more votes and about 18-20 delegates. He now leads by about 120 delegates and about 340,000 in votes. There were 600,000 who voted in Michigan and 128 delegates. Hillary could have a solid win of 60% of the vote- even better than her previous 55% when he wasn't on the ballot- and she would only gain 120,000 in popular vote and about 20 delegates. He now leads by 220,000 votes and about 100 delegates. That's it. No more except the super delegates who are still uncommitted. He wins the popular and the delegate count. There is no way they over turn it. She got her do overs. The people got to vote. They won't even wait till the convention at the end of August. Hillary would tear the Democratic Party in two. John McCain would have 6 months to campaign and catch up in funds. The Dem winner after the convention would have only 2 months to campaign, have depleted funds and a fractured party. The do-overs take place in June and the Super Delegates settle it quickly...for Barack.