Daily Archives: Oct. 16, 2008

McCain didn’t do well with independents

Oct. 16, 200811:59 a.m.

John McCain did an effective job in Wednesday night’s debate making a conservative case on taxes, free trade and opposition to abortion. But in order to win, he has to attract independent and moderate voters. And his debate performance and responses didn’t do that.
A large majority of viewers surveyed said that Barack Obama won the debate – 58 to 31 percent in a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll. But viewers also gave Obama much higher marks on who would do a better job on the economy, on taxes and on health care. In the CNN poll, McCain only scored higher on who attacked his opponent more and who acted more like a typical politician – which hurts McCain’s appeal with independents.

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Presidential race | Comments (114)

McCain should fire his campaign

Oct. 16, 20086:02 a.m.

Columnist William Kristol thinks that John McCain still has a chance to pull out this election, but only if he fires his campaign. “What McCain needs to do is junk the whole thing and start over,” Kristol wrote. “Shut down the rapid responses, end the frantic e-mails, bench the spinning surrogates, stop putting up new TV and Internet ads every minute. In fact, pull all the ads – they’re doing no good anyway. Use that money for televised town halls and half-hour addresses in prime time. And let McCain go back to what he’s been good at in the past – running as a cheerful, open and accessible candidate. Palin should follow suit. The two of them are attractive and competent politicians. They’re happy warriors and good campaigners. Set them free.”

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Presidential race | Comments (103)

Open thread 10/16

Oct. 16, 20086:01 a.m.

By The Editors | Filed under Open thread | Comments (454)

Stop sliming Slattery about lobbying

Oct. 16, 20086:00 a.m.

Does Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., think that former Sen. Bob Dole is doing the devil’s work? After all, Dole has been a lobbyist. Or how about Roberts’ own son, who has lobbied for EADS-Airbus? Or all the people Roberts meets with who represent agriculture, aviation or education interests?
Roberts needs to stop sliming his Democratic opponent, Jim Slattery, by portraying lobbying as some evil profession, as Roberts has done in campaign commercials and tried to do at Tuesday’s debate in Wichita.
Roberts has a solid record to run on for re-election. He shouldn’t resort to these Rovian tactics.

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Kansas delegation | Comments (21)