October 2007 Archives
Despite her awful week, Hillary is still likely to become the Democratic nominee. It was a bad performance because it exposed her greatest weakness: this calculating, dishonest, every-side-of-every-issue thing she can't seem to shake. But when you hear it come out of mouths of fellow Democratic presidential rivals, you know their supporters think the same thing. It's no longer just the opinion of the "right wing hate machine". This is the national consensus.
But it is not the only issue. She is likely to win the nomination, with great ads, strong debate performances, and few mistakes. Then Bill will give a few great, well-timed speeches. They'll be full of crap and false assumptions, but you know how he is.
This week was not just bad, it exposed her greatest weakness. It is the ultimate mistake for Hillary. Normally you have to cut these things together over the months. Her team is going to become expert between now and next November at making her followers forget about this issue. Against any rival in the general, her PR pros will whip up a confection that is pleasing to her voters. But still this sense of Hillary's dishonesty will swirl in the undercurrents. Against Romney, they'll be neutralized by his own Hillary-esque style. Giuliani will be able to capitalize on this sense a little, and has a number of other angles of attack that could also prove compelling and successful.
But only John McCain lines up directly against Clinton's greatest weakness. McCain's honesty and consistent leadership, when placed alongside the opposite characteristic, will present a stark contrast as it develops over the course of 2008, and will likely result in victory come November 5 for McCain.
When you cut McCain's YouTube clips together, they remain consistent. He is based on principle. It flows like water.
When McCain is in the room, it's the main issue that is highlighted between him and Hillary. Those two on the debate stage, it will be the dominant feature, the perfect landscape for a verbal brawl between conservative principles that unite the Republican party behind a steady and tested American hero, and the clever collection of liberal-swiss-cheese-brain panders and obfuscations for which Hillary Clinton is a perfect representative and leader.
This political battle—and war is only politics by other means, remember—could become an essential moment in American history. A McCain win in '08 is not only likely, it is a very big win.
But it is not the only issue. She is likely to win the nomination, with great ads, strong debate performances, and few mistakes. Then Bill will give a few great, well-timed speeches. They'll be full of crap and false assumptions, but you know how he is.
This week was not just bad, it exposed her greatest weakness. It is the ultimate mistake for Hillary. Normally you have to cut these things together over the months. Her team is going to become expert between now and next November at making her followers forget about this issue. Against any rival in the general, her PR pros will whip up a confection that is pleasing to her voters. But still this sense of Hillary's dishonesty will swirl in the undercurrents. Against Romney, they'll be neutralized by his own Hillary-esque style. Giuliani will be able to capitalize on this sense a little, and has a number of other angles of attack that could also prove compelling and successful.
But only John McCain lines up directly against Clinton's greatest weakness. McCain's honesty and consistent leadership, when placed alongside the opposite characteristic, will present a stark contrast as it develops over the course of 2008, and will likely result in victory come November 5 for McCain.
When you cut McCain's YouTube clips together, they remain consistent. He is based on principle. It flows like water.
When McCain is in the room, it's the main issue that is highlighted between him and Hillary. Those two on the debate stage, it will be the dominant feature, the perfect landscape for a verbal brawl between conservative principles that unite the Republican party behind a steady and tested American hero, and the clever collection of liberal-swiss-cheese-brain panders and obfuscations for which Hillary Clinton is a perfect representative and leader.
This political battle—and war is only politics by other means, remember—could become an essential moment in American history. A McCain win in '08 is not only likely, it is a very big win.
From NationalReviewOnline.com: A Second Look at McCain, by KATE O’BEIRNE
But Giuliani will split the party. In addition to his positions on guns and abortion, his authoritarian impulse will drive away libertarian independents.
As the long season between the primaries and the general election calms the decision process, McCain will emerge a steady, principled leader who is ready to take command.
While Hillary Clinton is looking like a sure bet for her party’s nomination, only the reckless would wager their own money on the likely Republican nominee. With the presence of Fred Thompson and the absence of Newt Gingrich, the GOP field is now complete — and completely without a conventional frontrunner. Its fluidity has prompted a second look by the rank and file: Republicans seeking to keep their party’s base intact, while appealing to independents in order to have a shot at defeating Hillary, are taking another look at John McCain.At some point, Republican primary voters must ask the "electability" question, and polls show McCain consistently winning or very close in state-by-state match-ups. Romney doesn't seem to have a chance. Giuliani has a chance. Thompson does not.
[...]
Based on the false assumption that Giuliani is the most competitive candidate against Hillary Clinton, the false choice offered Republican voters is to back either the candidate most likely to win or the candidate they most agree with on the issues. But based on current polling, McCain is as likely to win as Giuliani — and his positions on the issues are in closer accord with those of Republican voters.
Republicans are also being told that during these perilous times they should be willing to prioritize a concern with national security over social issues. Voters need not make that tradeoff if they support McCain, who has both a pro-life record and more national-security experience than Giuliani.
McCain is a conservative whose heterodox views on campaign-finance reform and immigration are shared by the more liberal Giuliani. With the defeat of the “comprehensive” immigration bill he championed, McCain recognizes that the public demands concrete enforcement measures — and he now pledges to secure the border before pressing for the legalization of illegal aliens. (He will, of course, have to convince conservatives that he is a genuinely reformed reformer committed to an “enforcement first” agenda.)
Finally, McCain is in a long-term, stable second marriage and talks to all his children, although not as frequently as he would like. One son is a midshipman at the Naval Academy and another is an enlisted Marine serving in Iraq.
But Giuliani will split the party. In addition to his positions on guns and abortion, his authoritarian impulse will drive away libertarian independents.
As the long season between the primaries and the general election calms the decision process, McCain will emerge a steady, principled leader who is ready to take command.
One of the things you hear are mean attacks about McCain's age. Age is another one of those immutable characteristics like race or
gender. Should our society disregard anyone because of age? No way.
I mention this because I just came from a fundraiser for McCain in Beverly Hills, and saw the man in person for the first time. He looks great. And the pace of his campaign should have begun to satisfy the doubters.
Not to be overly blunt, but we've all seen people decline as the years wear on. It takes a long time. To my eye, McCain is far from having to deal with that. He looks very healthy, even better in person than on television. He looks plenty strong enough to make good decisions and speeches for the next several years, definitely more than the 5 or so years we're looking at. It's not like he's going to be out hiking up and down mountains, although he looks like he probably could.
His mother's beautiful twin sister, McCain's Aunt Molina, was also in attendance. She is 95, and looks fantastic as well. Remarkably gorgeous actually.
At the end of his speech, everyone was on their feet instantly. I think standing up for McCain is becoming a thing.
I mention this because I just came from a fundraiser for McCain in Beverly Hills, and saw the man in person for the first time. He looks great. And the pace of his campaign should have begun to satisfy the doubters.
Not to be overly blunt, but we've all seen people decline as the years wear on. It takes a long time. To my eye, McCain is far from having to deal with that. He looks very healthy, even better in person than on television. He looks plenty strong enough to make good decisions and speeches for the next several years, definitely more than the 5 or so years we're looking at. It's not like he's going to be out hiking up and down mountains, although he looks like he probably could.
His mother's beautiful twin sister, McCain's Aunt Molina, was also in attendance. She is 95, and looks fantastic as well. Remarkably gorgeous actually.
At the end of his speech, everyone was on their feet instantly. I think standing up for McCain is becoming a thing.