The dagger in any election is if you can peel away a significant slice of the other side's base. It's always a fight to attract the independents and non-partisan "moderates, but if you can actually get into the opponent's base, it's all over. Ronald Reagan was unbeatable because of "Reagan democrats", socially conservative democrats who liked him better than their own party's candidates. It's no secret that conservative republicans are not crazy about John McCain. While they are put off by obama's far left positions and dubious associations, many admire his personal narrative. Still, he needs a bold stroke to get any significant number of conservatives to pull the lever for him. He is in a box because any policy initiative he might adopt to appeal to conservatives would be anathema to his moveon. org base. What to do? There is a simple step that would destroy McCain with conservatives but would not be that big a deal to obama's supporters. Obama should come out and announce that he will pardon imprisoned Border Patrol agents Campean and Ramos. Their prosecution and absurd prison terms infuriated conservatives, and it was the final straw that turned many of them against Bush. McCain has refused to weigh in on the issue. Obama would instantly transform himself from a threat to a hero to many conservatives, while appearing compassionate to his liberal base. A win-win proposition for Obama that would utterly destroy McCain.
They shot an unarmed man running away from them, filed a false report and hid the evidence..... And by the way, I am a white, anglo, protestant male born and raised in the deep south....went to segregated schools....very conservative on a lot of issues..... But, I got a problem when a cop shoots an unarmed person.... McCain can clinch by anouncing he will only serve one term. And pick Carly Fiorina as his VP.....she is smart, female and not from DC....true outsider.... SteveD
Are you THAT naive? I am a conservative. Obama is the opposite of what they stand for. This minimalist effort would drive few. That would have similar effect as saying that Obama would pick up a lot of the pro-life vote, if he promised to feel a little sorrow the next time his wife had an abortion.
McCain won't change. He's a tired senator playing it safe relying on dull staff from the blue blood who's who from Harvard's political science department.
AAA needs a hug. You can tell by his last several posts that he's going off the rails on the crazy train.
Even if they did everything you claim, does it warrant 10 and 11 year sentences? They were convicted of using a firearm in a felony, a statue with a 10 year mandatory term. Lawmakers who sponsored that legislation have said it was never intended to be applied to law enforcement personnel on duty. Whatever. Many conservatives were incensed by the prosecution and the sentence. The same people tend not to like McCain. I have heard the Carly talk, and I just don't get it. She will be skewered as a fatcat CEO who took obscene compensation while running the company in the ground. That charge would have the virtue of being accurate, which you can't say about most democrat attacks. Call me crazy, but I think starting your political career one heartbeat form the presidency is a bit ambitious as well, particualry when you don't really have all that much in the way of accomplishments to brag about. I will concede that she is very smart and articulate and makes a terrific impression on TV.
I have to disagree. Obama is not running against Ronald Reagan or Jesse Helms. He is running against a man many conservatives despise. It is a tangible gesture of reaching out to the conservatives, which is a lot more than McCain has done. I'm not suggesting conservatives will flock to Obama, but he doesn't have to attract many to put McCain in a world of hurt.
If Obama would promise to shrink government to 1940 levels, institute value added taxes and abolish the IRS, take control of the Mexican border back from MS13, roll back gay rights, and pardon Ramos and Campion, I'd vote for the guy!!
Obama or McCain can't touch this. Only because it was a Mexican that was shot. Hispanics have the elected officials blackmailed. Leads to paralyzing policies on common sense issues. *Immigration *English only *Border control *illegal uninsured (states pay) *welfare