Insurance Agent Forum

Two McCain Moments, Rarely Mentioned - New York Times

Mr. McCain almost never mentions are two extraordinary moments in his political past that are at odds with the candidate of the present: His discussions in 2001 with Democrats about leaving the Republican Party, and his conversations in 2004 with Senator John Kerry about becoming Mr. Kerry’s running mate on the Democratic presidential ticket.


So is he a conservative Republican, or is he a liberal Democrat. I am not sure even he knows.

[Winter]

Originally Posted by JORGEJR

Two McCain Moments, Rarely Mentioned - New York Times


So is he a conservative Republican, or is he a liberal Democrat. I am not sure even he knows.

Works both ways though. His lack of conservative credentials is clearly an issue. At the same time, when the Democrats start to demonize him as being a hard core republican type there are those who will point out that he at one time was considered to be worthy of heading up the Democratic ticket with John Kerry. How neanderthal/bushlike can he be if John Kerry wanted him. In addition, another person who was on the national democratic ticket, Joe Leiberman now is a McCain supporter.

So yes, McCain's true conservative credentials are dubious but this gives him more appeal in that vast middle ground of undecideds and independents. Obama is out there saying that he will cross party lines and build bridges with both parties. What's he gonna do. Criticize McCain for actually having done it.

Not defending him just saying that he has plenty of opportunities to spin this in his favor. He is going to continue to lose true conservatives along the way (who they gonna vote for in the end, Obama or Hillary?) but will pick up moderates. Obama will continue to have the support of the left but the tighter he clings there, the more moderates he is losing. Such is politics.

Winter

The trouble he is going to have is that he has tied himself to closely to Bush's political apron strings. He would have been better off if he had cut himself free of them. Because of the war issues, he will lose a bunch of independent voters.

[Winter]

Originally Posted by JORGEJR

The trouble he is going to have is that he has tied himself to closely to Bush's political apron strings. He would have been better off if he had cut himself free of them. Because of the war issues, he will lose a bunch of independent voters.

Again, it works both ways depending on whether there is any progress in the war at the time of the election. Now as a lib, you might argue that there wont be any and in fact you might be right but nevertheless if there is a perception that there is some progress, then this will work against Obama who has said that he is ready to withdraw on day one regardles of what is going on on the ground. One of the reason that the independents are independents (I am one) is that they are not functioning from ideology the way the libs and the conservatives are. So they can be influenced by changing conditions.

Winter

"Warring Militants Threaten Iraq's Fragile Security

By Steve Inskeep and Dina Temple-Raston



Morning Edition, March 26, 2008 · Iraq may be facing the gravest challenge to its fragile security in more than a year. Shiite militiamen loyal to anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr are fighting Iraqi government forces for control of the southern city of Basra, and the violence is spreading to Baghdad."

The violence had decreased, but to be and others it was only a temporary recession. It is still a Civil war and will continue until one side is on top and that will only happen when our occupying troops are with drawn.