Divisive Dem Contest Could Boost McCain

[Trish]

Poll: Divisive Dem Contest Could Boost McCain
By Fred Lucas
CNSNews.com Staff Writer
March 21, 2008

(CNSNews.com) - The lengthy Democratic primary contest bodes well for Republican chances of holding the White House, a new poll suggests.

As Democratic Senators Barack Obama of Illinois and Hillary Clinton of New York slug it out for the nomination, many of their supporters -- at least in Pennsylvania, site of the next major primary -- aren't committed to the party's ticket in November, according to a Franklin & Marshall College Poll.

Among Obama supporters, 20 percent said they would vote for Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the Republican nominee, if Clinton beats their candidate for the nomination. Among Clinton supporters, 19 percent said they would support McCain in November if Obama is the Democratic nominee. (See poll)

The significant number of potential defectors underscores how divisive the Democratic primary has been.

Democrats won Pennsylvania in the 2000 and 2004 presidential races, but it was a competitive state in both election cycles. McCain, meanwhile, has touted his appeal to swing voters.

"Pennsylvania is a must-win state for a Democratic presidential nominee," Nathan Gonzalez, political editor of the Rothenberg Political Report, told Cybercast News Service. "If there is a significant weakness for a Democrat in Pennsylvania, it could indicate a weakness in Ohio or other key states."

Even a few months ago, the presidential race looked like a major uphill climb for any Republican candidate. But recent polls suggest a toss-up between McCain and either Democratic candidate.

Obama and Clinton both have many negatives, which doesn't make the Pennsylvania poll too surprising, said Doris Graber, a political science professor at the University of Illinois.

"Obama is very liberal, more liberal than we've seen on the campaign trail. Also, there is still racism out there," Graber told Cybercast News Service. "Hillary, we've known all along, has strong supporters. But there are also a lot of people who would never vote for her. There is some antipathy from the Clinton years. Some wouldn't vote for her because she's a woman."

Graber believes it is "almost a certainty" that the Obama-Clinton battle will be decided at the Democratic National Convention, which could drive a wedge through the party.

"Democratic voters could be persuaded not to vote for a candidate with vulnerabilities," she continued. "A vote for McCain wouldn't be that difficult. He does appeal to the middle."

However, Gonzales cautioned not to read too much into a single poll, or discount the desire of Democratic voters to move beyond the George W. Bush years, of which McCain has become the heir.

"This is a very personal and competitive Democratic primary," he said. "Clinton and Obama supporters have trouble seeing themselves with the other now. A healing period will have to happen."
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=/Politics/archive/200803/POL20080321a.html

[lily]

Trish........I think if it drags out much longer it might. With Clinton not getting the Michigan and Florida votes and Obama getting Richardson's endorsement and I feel Edwards soon, she's not going to have much choice but to give in. It's only March and sadly most people have very short memories.....come election time, there will be fresh new things that the Republicans and Democrats will be debating and hopefully it's policy.

I honestly think this is getting so much press, is because the Republican nominee has already been chosen and there is no one to fight with. Also if you stop and think about it, this is an historical election.

One thing these two better figure out and figure out fast......while they are at each others heels McCain is making a name for himself, traveling to different countries and meeting with leaders. He's going to start looking pretty presidential, and when that 3am phone call ad starts showing up, all he has to do is say look what I was doing, while they were playing here at home. I can answer that phone call, and I'll know who I'm talking to on the other end.

[Osborn F. Enready]

I can't vote for either since Ron Paul isn't a chance. I will be voting third party, most likely Libertarian.

[Trish]

Lily -

Ironic isn't it that Florida once again plays such a large role in the Democratic hopes!

[Buck Laser]

The race for the democratic nomination isn't nearly as divisive as the right wingers on this board and the right wing press--like CNS--would have you believe. Yes, there are democrats who just couldn't bring themselves to vote for one or the other of the two seeking the nomination. But things will settle down and a clear choice, probably Obama, will emerge.

Some of you may have noticed that voter turnout in the primaries has set new records. I take this as evidence of the excitement a great many voters feel about this election. Add to that the extremely noisy and utterly irrational propaganda machine that the right has cranked up--you know, the "Obama is a muslim" shit, and it's crystal clear to me that the republicans are, to use a technical term, gonna get they asses whupped in November.

Just hide and watch. :shock:

[PostmodernProphet]

Lily -

Ironic isn't it that Florida once again plays such a large role in the Democratic hopes!


not really.....it takes quite a while for demographics to change......that state is very closely balanced between conservatives and liberals.....it could be fifty years before you see a significant change in that balance.......

[PostmodernProphet]

Just hide and watch.

you see, that is your problem.....you might be right if we just hid and watched.....but we will be campaigning instead.....you have to look at all the crap going around about both Hillary and Obama and realize something....we haven't even STARTED yet.....

[preservanation]

For McCain, not a strong candidate IMO, to be this close with both the Dems is directly due to the chaos in the Dem party right now.
All indications are that the Dems should be running away with this, (you know all the reasons).

McCain can rely on the conservatives to carry the attacks and he can sit back and issue edicts that all his surrogates and campaign mangers must not engage in anything that could be considered divisive.
IMO, their loving this at the GOP!

When your opponents are eating each other, the best thing to do is to pass the salt and leave the room.

[Trish]

Lily -

You mentioned Edwards closing the deal on the Democratic nominee with his endorsement. Read this article yesterday that suggests Edwards may choose to not endorse either Obama or Clinton.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0308/9162.html

[Go Fish]

This contest isn't as much "divisive" as it is "illustrative".
Clinton tipped her hand when she and her "husband" started making noise about the guys picking on the only woman, and that whole crying sham. Now the Obama camp is trying to figure out just how black he needs to be perceived as, 'cause it's all about being in the right pigeon-hole.
Nobody, it seems, gives a damn about what anyone's qualifications are, and that speaks directly to how far overboard the left has gone with this whole "Diversity" boondoggle. "America needs a black president!!!" "America needs a woman president!!!"

Wrong on both counts. America needs an ABLE president, and the democrats don't have a candidate possessing that skill-set.

[Elrathin]

merica needs an ABLE president, and the democrats don't have a candidate possessing that skill-set.


Neither have you guys with your spend spend spend presidency and McCain supporting that irresponsible spending by supporting Bush's policies.

Not to mention some McCain supporters that have said that he should get the presidency because he was a P.O.W. Yeah, getting tortured is now a qualification for president to some. I respect the guy's service, but the fact he was a P.O.W. plays ZERO part in the qualifications of president.

[PostmodernProphet]

McCain supporting that irresponsible spending by supporting Bush's policies

actually, McCain was pretty much the lone voice in Washington criticizing the Republicans for spending like DrunkenDemocrats......

[Osborn F. Enready]

PMP said:
actually, McCain was pretty much the lone voice in Washington criticizing the Republicans for spending like DrunkenDemocrats......

LOL.....

Except for: ????

I'll start...
1) The War in IRAQ based on erroneous and doctored information, presented in a fashion to deem imminent threat existed, where none did.[/code]

[PostmodernProphet]

except for....nothing.....I can't remember a spending program in the last seven years that the Dems didn't criticize......for being too small!.......

complaining that the Republicans spent too much money is a legitimate complaint.....from Republicans.....it has no merit coming from a Democrat, because no Democrat has EVER voted for a reduction in spending.....

[Osborn F. Enready]

Regardless of party leaning or affiliation, gross mismanagement and reckless spending is EVERY CITIZENS CONCERN, and a legitimate complaint, regardless of your personal bias for those who don't agree with you.

[PostmodernProphet]

agreed....but it is foolish to think any Democrat is going to solve those problems....

[Osborn F. Enready]

PMP said:
agreed....but it is foolish to think any Democrat is going to solve those problems....

No doubt, no argument there. I would say its as likely foolish to think a republican would solve it, with few exceptions.

The past has shown this consistently through the hypocrisy of their individual voting records on the same issues over time.

Ron Paul was one of the few politicians who had the courage to speak to the true sources of the problems, and the "neocon" republican party worked tirelessly to demonize and denigrate his character because they had no logical way of attacking his arguments, he was RIGHT, and provably so, and still is.

The Republican party has been overtaken by neocons, and few true conservatives are left in the party.

[suedanim]

Well the Clinton fight for the nomination could tear the party down enough for McCain to get a commanding lead...but I don't think its going to go down like that.

McCain is going to have to face either Obama or Clinton in debates, interviews with various reporters, televised town meetings and that is where the rubber will meet the road. He's got some explaining to do on torture, Iraq and a number of other issues. I don't think he can handle it based on his gaffes and flubs so far. I guess he was supposed to appear Presidential on his little tour of the Middle East. But, Oh No ... he apparently needs Lieberman or some other caregiver to have his back.

Face it.. the GOP cannot continue hiding him from the people. He's so far put out only for short sound bytes, but wheres the meat and potatos speeches? Where are the famous, meaningful John McCain quotes?

If the GOP had had any sense they would have promoted Ron Paul over John McCain. What were they thinking?

[Go Fish]

merica needs an ABLE president, and the democrats don't have a candidate possessing that skill-set.


Neither have you guys with your spend spend spend presidency and McCain supporting that irresponsible spending by supporting Bush's policies.

Not to mention some McCain supporters that have said that he should get the presidency because he was a P.O.W. Yeah, getting tortured is now a qualification for president to some. I respect the guy's service, but the fact he was a P.O.W. plays ZERO part in the qualifications of president.


McCain has decades of experience amidst the machinery which drives Washington, and to YOUR benefit, he has repeatedly proven himself to be a middle-of-the-road kind of guy. Obama has no experience, and quite honestly has some foreign policy issues that he needs to get rid of, such as vowing to embark on a Hillary-esque "Terrorist Listening Tour".
McCain knows better to even suggest giving our enemies any sort of false legitimacy. He saw how Ted Kennedy treated President Bush after that whole education policy debacle.

[Buck Laser]

You guys are probably way too young to remember Spiro Agnew's term, "nattering nabobs of negativity." I always kinda liked the alliteration there, but Agnew, crook that he was, applied it to the wrong people. The new nattering nabobs are trying to trash the democrats, but I suspect that a good many of them will go down about the same way Agnew did. I'm just gonna hide and watch with my popcorn. :clapper:

[Go Fish]

It's my opinion, and that of damned near every political analyst, that the democrats are trashing themselves by revealing the truths about one another.