John McCain’s former campaign chief has loosened his lips about what sank his man’s presidential candidacy. Appearing with Obama campaign manager David Plouffe in Delaware Thursday, McCain chief strategist Steve Schmidt said the McCain campaign was “the strategic equivalent of throwing a football through a tire at 50 yards.”
He also said: “We were running a campaign under extra difficult circumstances — the state of the Republican party, the president’s unpopularity, the economy — a lot of issues that were not John McCain’s fault but were John McCain’s problem in this race. When Lehman Brothers collapsed in the fall I knew pretty much right away that . . . from an electoral strategy perspective, the campaign was finished.”
On the subject on why McCain didn’t go with his first choice for a running mate, former Democratic running mate Joe Lieberman, Schmidt said: “It was communicated back to us very clearly from within the party that not only was Sen. Lieberman not acceptable, but any pro-choice nominee was not acceptable, (and) it would lead to a floor fight at the convention with an alternate nominee for vice president put into play.”
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71 Comments
How could McCain have ever truly been supported by the Republican party last November, when the November before that the majority of Republicans would not have given him a second thought about being President.
He fell into the roll of candidate because the others messed up in one way or another, not because he was the best qualified.
“but any pro-choice nominee was not acceptable”
And that my friends defines the extent of the Republican Party, it’s platform, and it’s paramount issue which has been elevated above the Republican position on any issue.
It is their doom and is one of the main reasons this particular conservative left their flock.
The dumb f*cks are STILL not getting it. And I will saddly watch their final demise.
The dumb f*cks are STILL not getting it. And I will saddly watch their final demise.
Agreed. And I am hopefull (yes it is just a fantasy) that a strong third party will rise to take the GOP’s place.
Maybe they will even have some conservatives in that party. Wouldn’t that be a change?
I still can’t believe the dummies let McCain in the primary house.
He was like my fifth choice among the republican primary runners.
We were running a campaign under extra difficult circumstances — the state of the Republican party, the president’s unpopularity, the economy
________________________________
Not to mention being outspent a zillion to one, not to mention McCain isn’t even conservative and he still only lost 52% to 46%
He was like my fifth choice among the republican primary runners.
___________________________
True dat!
But he was my third choice on the democratic ticket.
My fiance is one of those who said he would not have voted if McCain picked Lieberman.
“but any pro-choice nominee was not acceptable”
I imagine that everyone who votes single issue on abortion would have boycotted the election as well.
So we would have an election in which people are only voting on the economy, foreign policy, the environment, etc.
We’d eliminate the people who consistently vote against their own interests based one one issue that’s never going to get the outcome they want.
I can’t imagine a more interesting election, can you?
It would be interesting if all the single issue voters sat one out.
I have never understood single issue voters anyway. It just seems so ignorant.
I have never understood single issue voters anyway. It just seems so ignorant.
________________________________________________
Obama did get 95% of the Black vote.
Why is that ignorant?
What did the Republican party in?
Having the same Foreign Policy as the Democrats and having the same Monetary policy which is to let a bunch of private banks control our money and credit.
Until we have someone calling our financial system a joke and pointing out that all fiat currencies are doomed to fail, we are dead.
Until we have someone calling our foreign policy of policing the world and forcing countries to do what we say, awful and unaffordable, we are dead.
There was that Texas congressman…
Ron Paul was ridiculed and laughed at. What is so odd about all of it is that he doesn’t go around gloating and telling America, “I told you so”. He continues to fight for freedom.
He told every single one of us that Obama would just continue on with Bush policies. Even I had trouble believing him, but once again he has been proven correct. Obama is Bush II in this regard.
Not much else to say really. Those who get on here and fight for a party like their is much of a difference are slowly becoming a minority. Wake up folks, reality is passing you by while you still live in a fantasy world of partisanship.
My favorite part of the campaign : Dr. Paul Pwns McCain.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKO7BxNNhMk&feature=related
Can you say deer in the headlights?
Translation of McCain’s dumbfounded expression —
“WTF did he just say?”
He stood a better chance in N.V.
He killed any chance he might have had with Grahm, Palin, and esp. when he kept saying the bush mantra “the economy is basically sound”, while everyone knew it was in a state of collapse.
fleettwood
Posted April 24, 2009 at 1:30 pm | Permalink
I have never understood single issue voters anyway. It just seems so ignorant.
________________________________________________
Obama did get 95% of the Black vote.
Why is that ignorant
–
McCain got 95% of the white, Southern, redneck male vote – what’s your point?
Why do you and the rest of the Republicans hate democracy?
Every citizen has one vote to use as they choose. It is not your place to tell anyone how to vote and no one has the right to tell you how to vote.
So, why do insist on putting everyone down who votes different than you? And why do you always insinuate there was race involved?
What I find funny is no Republican claims to have voted for McCain but somehow he got the nomination and 46% of the vote.
If Republicans were smart, they would listen to McCain’s daughter Meghan. She sure has no qualms about telling the old school Republicans they need to sit down and shut up. She brings up some very valid points.
totoinks – wow, incredible that you’d agree with MEGHAN McCain…who was a flaming liberal and only registered GOP as a “present to her Dad” when he announced his run for Pres….yeah, can’t see any reason why any logical Republican shouldn’t just jump right on the ol’ Meghan bandwagon! Next we’ll get Ann Coulter to register Dem and you guys can start hanging on her every word as she guest hosts on that all important, political icon of a show..The View.
McCain had to ‘kiss up’ to the Republic establishment to get the nomination and then try to play ‘maverick’ for the electorate. He never got strong support from either.
McCain got 95% of the white, Southern, redneck male vote – what’s your point?
__________________________________
I can prove what I said. You can’t.
Nominate a pro-choice Republican and see what happens. A pro choice Republican won’t even get 46% against Obama next cycle. But that’s fine, I need a good reason to stay home.
Even Ron Paul is pro-Life.
If you can’t stand up for the right to life for all human beings, you will not stand up for their economic freedom either.
She brings up some very valid points.
__________________
She’s a genius, like you.
Independent, the new Republican Party.
Way I see it if Sarah isn’t the spokeswoman for Trojan, by next election, she’s a shoo in for the RWers.
“Independent, the new Republican Party.”
Who is the leader of the Independent Party?
“Who is the leader of the Independent Party?”
It can be whoever they want; they are not bound by party platform.
Until the Republican party stops acting like the Democratic party, you will never see any change.
I don’t see why this is so hard for some to see. It’s right there in front of our faces. Dems and Reps are the same party.
The voice for smaller government no longer exist. The voice for freedom and liberty is dead. The voice will stay dead until you split the two parties up and actually get some real fundamentatl differences in there.
Does everyone in here remember when the Republican party was opposed to the Department of Education? That is the kind of difference I’m talking about. Now they’ve helped to grow that department.
“It can be whoever they want; they are not bound by party platform.”
No Party platform, no particular leader in mind…. Victory in 2028 perhaps? Don’t change your registration just yet folks.
I’d like someone do work the Republic Party primaries (as best as possible) if they hadn’t been winner-take-all.
Rudy and Mittens and Huckabee had a pretty good following early on, but when McCoot eked out a 1 or 2% edge in some backwater state, he shut out all the rest of the Republic Party delegates.
It’s the Republic Party’s own rules that got ‘em where they were.
And what’s utterly awesome about Republic Party poltics is how they’d secured the nomination in the spring and had no idea who the Vice-Presidential nominee might be until the Labor Day surprise that resulted in the Moose-Dresser.
The Republic Party’s own rules doom them.
“fleettwood
Posted April 24, 2009 at 1:30 pm | Permalink
…Obama did get 95% of the Black vote.
Why is that ignorant?”
Who said that was ignorant? Are you assuming that all of the black voters who voted for Obama were single party voters? If so, what grounds do you have for that assumption?
Republicans: A party so screwed up, even the black guy could beat them.
Hooray!
MH – yeah…Dems primary rules are so cool….no elitism to see there…nope, just really cool ringer votes called “Super Delegates” (cue the Superman music) who get to use their powers to vote, and then change if they want, or to leverage the candidate beggar for jobs later….yeah, that system makes the GOP’s all or nothing primary just look silly…..
having primaries at all is archaic and a waste of time and money
Those folks from Arizona do stick together. McCain to-day said the 9/11 hijackers did come in from Canada, a known “hotbed” of Islamic terrorists. I wonder if he would have cut off diplomatic relations were he POTUS?
McCain had a real shot to win in 2008, don’t kid yourself.
After all, he was running against a black dude. Think about it, they don’t call it the White House for nothing.
Race alone gave him an extra 10-20 percentage points. Had he run with Joe Traitorman, he would have been seen as a true bi-partisan PLUS picking up huge schmeres of Yid voters in must-win states like Florida.
That would have really tightened things up.
But no, McCain p*ssied out to the FundyCONs and picked the American laughingstock, Sarah Palin.
Thank God for Republican cowardice. If they ever ran a real man instead of a party shill, I myself might vote for him.
The last man the Republicans ran was Barry Goldwater, whom I supported at the time.
You should hear what he had to say about the FundyCONs before he died–he vowed to fight religious fundamentalists “every step of the way if they try to dictate their moral convictions to all Americans.”
He’s right on.
Republicans have had some good people over the years besides Goldwater–Eisenhower who warned of the “military industrial complex” and Teddy Roosevelt the trust-buster were two such men.
But after Reagan, Bush, Bush and the RushLimbaughization of the party, one wonders where the real opposition to Democratic excesses are going to come from.
A one-party state is not healthy.
“CapnAmerica
Posted April 24, 2009 at 5:47 pm | Permalink
…he vowed to fight religious fundamentalists “every step of the way if they try to dictate their moral convictions to all Americans.””
That is real conservatism right there. Fight the government telling people what to do.
Oh the grand old days of the grand old party!
I for one am glad that McCain didn’t win. He was the democrats choice not the republicans. He leans far to the left. His only hope was Sarah Palin. She was the true conservative.
Now when the president pushes the leftist agendas we can put the blame where it really is. Your man, Obama, the most far liberal politician that there has ever been that made it to the presidency.
Like it or not, you’re it. The old “let’s blame Bush” routine isn’t going to cut it anymore. Obama is not the first president to have problems from previous administrations.
As a matter of fact, even our low paying jobs, don’t give us the convenience of using the excuse, “these problems were handed down to me by the previous manager, etc.” Wah! Wah! Wah! I say grow up Obama!
If I have to take responsibility for previous managers and their decisions for a measley minimum wage job, then he take responsibility. I mean, really! HE’S THE PRESIDENT. His whining and crying and pointing fingers doesn’t help out our “IMAGE” at all either. I mean isn’t that what he is so concerned with.
Thank God for Republican cowardice. If they ever ran a real man instead of a party shill, I myself might vote for him.
———-
Don’t want to vote for the “black dude” again?
Wiseman
Posted April 24, 2009 at 2:59 pm | \l “comment-560492″
Independent, the new Republican Party.
That would be something to laugh about if it was not so true.
I was glad to hear that McCain was running again then he changed and surrounded himself with the same people that advised Bush. Then I hear Dr. Paul and I was sold still am but when it was apparent that the GOP was crapping on him I looked elsewhere. None of the other Republicans came close to being Republican.
I use to think I was one of the base but then it has become apparent that the base is the Conservatives and with them as a base. You might as well forget about ever winning the White House.
As we can see from the con posters here, the Republican party is in shambles. McCain was probably the best chance they had. He ruined that picking Palin.
A sticky place I am glad to find the cons in.
They cannot win on the agenda of the religious nuts.
They cannot win without the religious nuts.
They just cannot win!
If you want to see why the Republic Party doesn’t stand a chance in the near-term, just look at what BorgHunter wrote: “McCain’s only hope was Sarah Palin.”
Let that sink in.
Unbelievable.
Just freaking unbelievable.
The Republics invited the Fundies and the AntiAbortion and the AntiEvolution crowd into their mainstream, and now they’re running the party.
They have no one to blame but themselves.
BJ – I sincerely you hope you guys keep patting yourself on the back, believing that last Nov was a referendum in favor of your agenda vs against Bush. All you’ve managed to do is wake up schlubs like me who never really participated before, but now have a reason to….people like you.
Dittos, BlueJay.
You said what I was trying to say better than I did.
They can’t win with them, and they can’t win without them. They can’t win.
Exactly.
“All you’ve managed to do is wake up schlubs like me who never really participated before, but now have a reason to”
I’ve seen your posts. The addition of you or a million more like you is the Republican party’s PROBLEM. You will just give those who make the party unelectable a louder voice!
Yay!
DFB,
So how many years have you “never really participated before”?
DFB–
If you’re not careful, you’re going to be able to have the same health care plan members of Congress have, and our gov’t negotiating lower drug costs like Canada does.
Oh, the horror of it all!
Interesting that the libs seem to think that their liberal policies carried the day. Good. Let them continue to think that. Of course, last election was actually a perfect storm in the form of an unpopular war and a financial crash. The more liberal social and fiscal policy is pushed, the better for the Republican resurgence.
And we will need all the help we can get. Because Obama is formidable, dangerous man.
Outlander–
I see now why you so rarely express your own opinions, choosing instead to snipe at the opinions of others.
We will need all the help we can get. Because Obama is formidable, dangerous man.
Yeah, he has an easy charm, two little kids and a dog. Now, if he only tied his own flies, you’d know that he’s indeed the Anti-Christ.
Also, outlander, you might want to consider what led to the “perfect storm” of an unpopular war for nothing and a financial meltdown . . . eight years of RepubliCON rule.
I tell you what Capn, I do admire your real interest in helping the underdog. But I despise your dishonest methods.
If you want to “help the underdog,” outlander, you’re running with the wrong pack.
It’s the CONs who constantly equate personal wealth with personal goodness, who claim that the wealthiest are simply the “most productive” and hence help society more than anyone else does.
“Trickle down economics,” a central tenant of modern CON belief, is the idea that the best way to feed the sparrows is by running the grain through a draft horse first.
Cos/Capn/BJ – seriously, keep thumping your chest about how cool you are. I’ve never once met someone who had to tell me how great they were that ever was. By your posts, and constant reliance on insults the streak is still alive as far as I’m concerned. Silly comments like “trickle down” has been proven not to work…weird, because trickle down debt seemed to flow in perfecly straight line to “main street”. Or “if you’re not careful, you might get the glory of relying on govt like us and Canada…” You guys honestly believe the sewage your selling, yet have not a single historical precedent proving that your brilliance has ever lead to anything but tyranny. As far as my past participation Cos, I was a registered Dem for about the first 10 yrs of my voting life…not because I had a clue what it meant, because that’s what my parents were. First time I actually looked at the Dem platform, I re-registered GOP. But still ignored the ignorance of believing that politics/govt was somehow important, in fact it was pretty boring. But then folks like yourselves felt the need to act like teenage girls, throwing around insults as a way to prove your liberal coolness or that somehow that made you the “in crowd”. So now, me and a lot of people I know just like me, now have the motivation to actually invest more time in politics and discuss the insanity of your platform any chance I get now. I’m not worried about the uber libs like yourselves. But there’s a lot of folks that sat back like I did for years who are just as sick of your drivel as I am…so have fun patting yourselves on the back for now. In politics, you’re never on top for very long….hope you enjoy the ride down, when daddy govt doesn’t wipe your butt for you anymore…
DFB–
Uh . . . what?
If it makes you feel better, I’ll try to be less “cool” . . . or something.
Cap’n – I’ll type slower for you next time….
Methinks okobserver has yet another personality.
Hon? More nics posting the same stuff does NOT mean more people believe it. It just means you are even more ill than we had previously thought.
“I was a registered Dem for about the first 10 yrs of my voting life”
Huh! Isn’t that interesting.
Okobserver, ksgrm, and donndublin all say that too.
Why, if this blog is any example, Democrats are more and more turning into Republicans!
Except? They aren’t.
Just like okobserver’s blog where she says Democrats by the score are sorry that they voted for Obama, these “recovering Democrats” simply don’t exist.
Sorry to burst your bubble, BlueJay/JayhawkCat/MonkeyHawk you’re in left field….but nice try anyway. Have a good weekend.
Your man, Obama, the most far liberal politician that there has ever been that made it to the presidency.
–
Absolutely, borgman. And we frick**ing love it. And you have seven more years to endure. Then we’ll elect another democrat. Maybe, just maybe, by then, the GOP will get its stuff together and run a serious race, instead of throwing childish tantrums. It’s getting old, bubba. Even babies stop whining once in a while.
Dennis
“Don’t want to vote for the “black dude” again?” [outlander]
Ya know, dude, your not so subtle RACISM is getting OLD… Somebody needs to teach you a lesson…. COLOR no longer matters, you stupid fool… PLEASE stop showing your ignorance???
Not even pollock jokes are funny anymore, little simple minded goon….
Hey Chas,
Better drop a line to Carlos Mancia and tell him his career in ethnic humor is over. :)
good night; good luck; god bless —
whatever you believe god to be!!
blessings all!!
blessings on our great nation!!
blessings for an END to racial/ethnic bashing in our great nation….
so mote it be!!
What you all fail to see is that the American people lost. You need to step outside of your little box and get over this democrat republican thing. I can guarantee you that those who hate America, aren’t going to separate you dems from everybody else before they attack again. They didn’t before and they won’t again. You are the fools you sound like.
And Capn non-America, “uh what” really does show your intelligence. You don’t even know what America stands for. Socialism it is not. If you want socialism, then how about going to work and giving each one of us about 10% of your pay. Oh and by the way, we need it more than you do, the government said so. That is socialism. That is exactly what Obama is about and he has even said so on many occasions. Since he is your boy we know you won’t mind handing over your hard earned money to those of us who are less fortunate, right?
“then how about going to work and giving each one of us about 10% of your pay.”
That’s sort of what we have.
MOST people show up and punch a clock. Their exploiter steals their freedom, their ingenuity, and their time, pockets a big profit from it and gives the workers back a pittance. Taxes are the remedy for this.
I will take electing my Government and giving them power to restrain franchisers and exploiters ANY day.
Y’know, I’ve watched the cons here blame their loss on almost everything but themselves; black voters, Acorn, the liberal press, Al Capone, Al Qaida, Al Fresco, Al Aluya, communist plots, Muslim plots, Zionist plots French plots, Cemetery plots, even the weather!
The bitter truth is that they have nobody to blame but themselves. After eight long years of conservative excess (an oxymoron if there ever was one), the mainstream voters they should have depended on saw first-hand that the conservative agenda had nothing left to offer but more of the same-old same-old, and voted them out of power with a vengeance.
Cry all you want cons, but you did it to yourselves, and royally! Now if someday you actually come up with something worth listening to, we might listen, but your track record’s against you. Because in your zeal to hang on at any cost, you willingly sacrificed your credibility. That trust will take a long time to regain, and I doubt you’re up to the job. I doubt you even understand what the job is. We’ll see.
You pretty much nailed it, “Jed” –
The CONs don’t understand their political suicide. Their bull-headedness continues to astound.
They’re like Monty Python’s Black Knight.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eMkth8FWno
#
Chas
Posted April 24, 2009 at 10:21 pm | Permalink
“Don’t want to vote for the “black dude” again?” [outlander]
Ya know, dude, your not so subtle RACISM is getting OLD… Somebody needs to teach you a lesson…. COLOR no longer matters, you stupid fool… PLEASE stop showing your ignorance???
Not even pollock jokes are funny anymore, little simple minded goon….
———-
A direct quote from CapnA, Chas. Now go change your panties.
Lieberman didn’t get the nod because McCain was trying to rope-in the Hillary vote, hence his pick of the (female) Moose Hunter.